To Be Needed
by jerseygirlinoxford
Summary: Sequel to It's Not Over. This is the 4th story in my own AU series. It is a Babe story but Morelli friendly.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N:** First, I wanted to thank everyone for their continued support for reading this series. Again, I'm sorry it's been too long since I posted It's Not Over. A lot of you already know that my 11 year old nephew lost his battle with Cystic Fibrosis on June 30th this year. I had hoped to start posting this over the summer, but as you can imagine, I didn't feel much like writing.

Thanks to all those who kept my family and I in your thoughts and prayers during that time. I can't put in to words what your support meant to us.

I also want to thank all the people that read my stories, add them to your favorites list, add me as a favorite author, and leave reviews. Your feedback means the world to me. Whether you like something or you don't like something…it's all good. If you haven't read any of this series, start with From the Beginning, then How Things Change, and then It's Not Over. Each story could stand alone, but they make more sense if you read them in order as they build off the previous one.

But, I have to address all the comments about Steph's blonde hair in this series. I said this series was not going to follow the books, and it was my take on these characters. I consciously made the decision to make Steph a blonde to separate her from canon. Yes, I know Janet Evanovich writes Stephanie as a brunette. I am NOT Janet. If I was, I sure wouldn't be giving away my stories for free! I also decided to make Steph a blonde because I'm a blonde (at least at the moment and it's the easiest way to hide the gray…well white hairs). There is a lot of me in the Steph in my series. Actually, a lot of scenes are based on my real life or friends/family real life situations. We've had Swear Jars in the office. I actually drove that #2 mobile. It was my friend's brother's car. And it was as bad as it sounded in the story.

Lastly…this story is a little different than the first 3. It's not going to be quite the roller coast ride and not quite as angsty. It's light and fun. Think of this as more of a transitional story. The next story, Not Without You, will be more like the others. But in order for that story to be understood and make sense, everything in To Be Needed has to happen first. This story will lay the foundations for the next. I don't particularly care for stories that are full of flashbacks. That makes for a choppy read, and no one really wants to flip flop back and forth between the past and present for the whole story. So, I decided to write this one the way I did. I hope you enjoy it as much as the others.

**This is dedicated to my nephew….Danny McGuinness January 4, 1999-June 30, 2010 **

**To Be Needed**

by JerseyGirlinOxford (sue)

**Prologue**

"_Carlos?" He raised his eyebrows. She splayed her hands on his chest. "Don't take this the wrong way but…." She lowered her eyes and bit her lip. Ranger gently placed two fingers under her chin and tilted her head up to meet his gaze. "Um…you really were an ugly woman. Oh my God! Lester was a lot prettier than you were, but…you do have a much better ass."_

"_Babe."_

He gave her his wolfish grin. "Hopefully…that's not _all_ that's better," he murmured against her ear. His lips softly touched hers. Her tongue begged entry into his mouth as his tongue gladly returned the greeting. Momentarily forgetting where they were, he backed her against the wall pressing his firm, hard body against hers. They both lost themselves in the heat of passion.

"A-hem." The exaggerated clearing of a throat brought them both back down to Earth. "We've missed you too, Bombshell."

"Tank!" She began to hobble forward, but Tank met her most of the way. He pulled her into great big bear hug, lifted her off her feet, and swung her around.

"Thank God you're alright," he whispered in her ear. He, too, choked up. They came way to close to losing her this time.

"Don't," she croaked. "You'll get _me_ started again." Tank squeezed her tight. Through his own misty eyes, he looked over at the smiling face of his best friend. Returning the grin, he let her down.

"You better get upstairs and let Bobby and Lester see that you're okay," Tank told her. The trio started towards the stairs. Ranger shielded Stephanie from seeing the dead girl in the first room. He noticed Tank glance quickly at the body before looking back at them. When Tank realized that Stephanie limping, he scooped her up and carried her the rest of the way.

Tank didn't put her down until he reached the living room where Bobby, Lester, and Mac were watching over the girls. She was passed from Bobby to Mac, and finally Lester. She was able to hold it together until she saw the tears in Lester's eyes. He squeezed her tight as she broke down again. This whole ordeal had been a nightmare. A million emotions overloaded her brain. She knew these guys cared for her. But it wasn't until this moment, that she realized how deep their feelings were. Even Ranger. She knew they didn't come for her out of some moral obligation. They came for her because she was one of them. It was so overwhelming….and wonderful at the same time.

"Stephanie?"

Lester released her, and she turned to see Inga standing behind her. Stephanie pulled her into a hug.

"Are you alright?" Inga nodded. "Did you call your father yet?" She nodded again.

"He let me borrow his phone," she told her as she pointed to Lester. She half smiled and half sobbed. "He's coming to get me." Stephanie hugged her again.

"It will work out. Just give him a chance. Your dad's not used to expressing his feelings. It's not because he doesn't love you, Inga. It's just how he is," Stephanie explained. Inga nodded. A female FBI agent arrived to take the girls to their headquarters. The FBI needed to get all their statements. When she requested Stephanie to come with them, Ranger interrupted her.

"No," he told her. "She stays here."

Durrer intervened. "I'll get her statement later. Her case is mine anyway. Let's get these girls taken care of first. We need to let them contact their families," he offered. The Agent nodded and herded the girls to the waiting mini-bus. Durrer turned to Ranger and lowered his voice. "What happened in the basement? We've got 2 dead bodies down there."

"The girl was DOA." Ranger's affect remained flat.

"And how did the guy break his neck? This is _bad_, Manoso. You weren't supposed to get involved…."

Stephanie hobbled over and wedged herself in between them. "I killed him!"

"Babe…"

"Khalid said he was going to rape me. I…I panicked. Mac taught me a whole bunch of defensive moves earlier this year. He attacked me. I grabbed his neck, and we fell. I must have broken his neck somehow," Stephanie continued to confess.

"That's not…." Ranger tried to interrupt.

Durrer held up a hand and cut Ranger off mid-sentence. "No, that sounds _exactly_ like what happened. It was self defense. It's much easier to write off in my report than try to explain why a government _contract_ worker, who was _supposed_ to help with victim recovery _only, _interfered in a Federal raid after being _expressly_ ordered to stay in the back ground."

Durrer turned to Stephanie and smiled. "Glad we got you back, Stephanie." He nodded to Ranger. "She looks tired. Why don't you have one of your men take her back to the hotel? I need you to help me finish up here. Then, we can get together for dinner, and I'll get her statement."

Ranger noticed Stephanie's drooping eye lids. Khalid must have just injected her with something before they found them. He noticed a little bleeding on her backside as he pulled up her pants. His chest tightened at the idea of being separated from her, but getting her out of this prison sounded like a good idea. He pulled her to him and kissed the top of her head.

"Lester will take you back to the hotel, Babe. I brought a bag of clean clothes for you. Take a shower. Get some rest. And, I'll be there as soon as I can." He felt her nod as she hugged him back.

The Phenergan was kicking in as the adrenaline rush left her body. Ranger handed her off to Lester. He took her hand and led her out to the SUV.

"Is there a McDonalds or something on the way?" she asked him. "We're hungry." He gave her a huge smile.

"Yeah, Beautiful," he replied. "I'll get you whatever you want."

It wasn't long before they arrived at the hotel. Stephanie had eaten her breakfast on the way and was ready to crash. She would have liked to take a shower, but she could no longer hold her eyes open. She kicked off her shoes, and flopped onto one of the beds. Lester parked himself at the table to eat his breakfast. As exhausted as she was, sleep was difficult.

"Will it bother you if I put on the TV?" Lester asked. Stephanie shook her head. Lester hunted around for the remote. Stephanie grabbed it off the nightstand and held it up. "Thanks." He took it and turned on the TV.

"Les?" He raised his eye brows. "Would you sit with me? I…I'm so tired, and I can't fall asleep. I just need to _feel_….safe." He pulled off his boots and sat in the bed beside her. "Thanks."

"Anytime, Beautiful."

She scooted next to him, rolled onto her stomach, and hugged her pillow tight. It was silly because even if Lester was outside the room, he would keep her safe. But, it was what she needed. Feeling the familiar and friendly warm body next to her chased away the anxiety, and she was able to drift off to sleep.

Lester stared at her sleeping form. Shit. The tears were back. He was so relieved they found her. They still didn't know a thing about what happened, or what Stephanie had been through. And, he wasn't sure if he could handle the truth. A newscaster rambled on in the background about a raid on a local house that uncovered a white slavery ring. Lester wasn't paying attention. The tension from the past week began to drain from his body. It wasn't long before he too, fell asleep.

All Ranger thought about on the ride back to the hotel, was holding Stephanie in his arms. He desperately wanted to make love to her. He wasn't sure if it would be safe though. Maybe they should wait till he took her to Selma so she could examine Stephanie to make sure it was all right. Ranger called Raoul as soon as they were no longer needed at the scene. Frank had been anxiously waiting with the Trenton team, dying to speak to her. Ranger explained that she was okay but exhausted, and he promised Frank she would call him as soon as possible. They pulled into the hotel parking garage.

As they headed up to their rooms, Ranger told them, "Just go get some sleep. We'll meet with Durrer around dinner time for a debriefing." He shook each of their hands. "That was some good work. I know Stephanie will probably thank all of you later, but I want to let you know how grateful _I_ am. I owe all of you…big time."

Tank placed a hand on his shoulder. "You can thank me by taking care of Bombshell and the grenades. I don't know what she went through, but she looks beaten down."

Tank noticed Ranger glance at Mac, and Mac looked away. He suspected something happened to Stephanie that caused Ranger to go berserk and snap a man's neck like that. He only prayed that she wasn't raped.

Ranger nodded. "I plan to. I'll talk to you later."

He entered their hotel room. He dropped his duffel and eyes widened at the site before him. Lester was spooned behind Stephanie. Both sound asleep. Ranger was still coming down from his adrenaline rush, and a part of him wanted to yank Lester out of the bed by his neck. He took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. After taking a good look at Lester's face, his pasty pallor and dark circles under his eyes had become more apparent. Lester looked just as bad as he did. And knowing Stephanie as well as he did, she probably asked him to sit with her.

He squeezed Lester's foot. Lester startled awake, and in turn, woke Stephanie. It would have been almost comical if Stephanie didn't panic. She must have forgotten where she was. Frantically, she tried to get away from Lester and fell off the bed.

"Babe!" He knelt down beside her, and she threw her arms around him.

"Carlos," she whispered holding him tight.

"It's okay. You're safe now. It's all over," he whispered back. He scooped her up and placed her back on the bed. He gave a nod to Lester who shrugged.

"Uh…I'm sorry. I guess I fell asleep," he apologized.

"Thanks for staying with her. Head back to your room. Get some rest. We're meeting with Durrer later." Lester grabbed his boots and gear. Stephanie jumped off the bed and wrapped her arms around him.

"Thanks, Lester."

He kissed the top of her head. "You're welcome, Beautiful."

After he left, Ranger pulled Stephanie back into his arms.

"Jesus, Babe." His voice was barely audible. "I can't tell you how good it feels to have you in my arms again."

He showered her with slow and gentle butterfly kisses as one of his hands again covered her little baby bump. He felt her lips on his neck and moaned. Without thinking, he reached up and palmed a breast. As if he burned her, she pulled back and crossed her arms.

"Um…did you say…that you brought me a bag of clothes?" She nibbled at her lower lip, eyes not meeting his.

"Yeah…I packed all your hair stuff too."

She nodded then headed towards the bathroom. "I really need to take a shower," she told him.

Ranger wasn't sure what to do as she closed the door behind her. He wanted to shower with her. But since she didn't offer, he decided not to push it. He spied her duffel bag on the dresser as he heard the water begin to run. He tapped lightly on the door as he left the bag for her.

"I have your stuff here, Babe." He dropped onto the edge of the bed and removed his boots. He wanted take a quick shower after she was done, then he could finally hold her in his arms and sleep.

Stephanie adjusted the water temperature and began to undress. She ruefully looked at the hand print like bruises on her breasts, upper arms, and backside. Some of those bruises were from the Phenergan shots. She thought she looked like a friggin' Dalmatian with all those dark spots against her pale skin. She knew Ranger probably wanted to shower with her…but not yet. She had no idea how he would react to the fact there were another man's hands all over her body. Would he be repulsed by this?

She hadn't seen what her face looked like before now either. Mic Jagger lip. Scratched and bruised cheek. She couldn't see it, but she could feel the scab on the back of her head. She reached down and removed the air cast. More black and blue. She guessed she should consider herself lucky that she wasn't raped. Yeah, she wasn't raped, but she still felt so violated.

She wanted to wash off the feel of Khalid before making love to Ranger. That was…if he was still attracted to her. She silently prayed he was…she needed him badly. She ran both her hands over the small, but certainly now visible, bump. That wasn't there last night. How weird was that? At the very least, the babies were okay.

As she pulled back the curtain, she remembered that her things were in the other room. She grabbed a towel and wrapped it around her body. Opening the door, she stepped into the outer room without looking down.

"Car….." Gasping, she tripped over the duffel that Ranger placed in front of the door and fell head long onto the carpet. Her towel popped open and exposed her bruised and battered body.

"Shit!" Ranger muttered as he rushed to her side, taking in all the marks on her breasts and arms. He had already seen the bruises on her behind. Her pale white skin turned crimson as she attempted to gather the towel to cover herself. The tears began to fall.

"Don't….you don't have to hide those bruises from me. It's okay, Babe. I understand. Please…let me see where you are hurt."

Again, she refused to look into his eyes. Humiliation was written all over her face. He leaned against the wall, sitting Indian style, and pulled her into his lap.

"I'm sorry," she cried. He kissed her temple.

"You didn't do anything wrong, Babe. Please stop blaming yourself."

"I…I'm…," she stammered.

"Stephanie…you can talk to me. Tell me what you're thinking," he softly coaxed. After a few more sniffles, she explained what Khalid did to her. Ranger used every drop of self control to keep his body relaxed.

"He…he said he was going to rape me. He said he was told he couldn't touch me till after they took the babies. But, I knew he wasn't going to wait that long. I…I really thought he was going to do it….and…then you saved me."

Then, in what Ranger knew in his heart to be a total act of faith and trust in him, Stephanie lowered her towel to show him the marks on her body. Ranger gently ran the tips of his fingers over the bruises.

"Does it still hurt?"

She shrugged. "It's a little sore…hurts more with…uh…a lot of pressure," she explained. She nuzzled her face against his chest. They sat in silence for a few moments.

"Would you… do you want to…shower with me?"

He hugged her tight. "I was hoping you would ask me," he told her with a grin.

"I need to feel your hands on me, Carlos. I need for you to hold me. I want to be wanted by you, and I want to be needed by you. I love you with all my heart, and I need you to make love to me. Please," she begged.

Ranger captured her mouth with his. Bypassing the bathroom, he carried her to the bed, and dropped on top of her as he lay her down. He was going to show her how much he loved her and what it was like to be needed.

**Chapter 1**

Ranger's concern about Stephanie's self-imposed isolation steadily grew. She rarely left the building and never alone. Shit…she hardly set foot outside the apartment anymore. Instead of holding each other while they slept, she clung to him like a life preserver. She was uncharacteristically quiet, and hardly ever smiled. Even when she did, the smile never reached her eyes. While he understood her fear after what she experienced, she didn't seem to be getting any better. Although it would have been hypocritical of him to suggest counseling, her sanity was more important to him then his own.

He had prayed for the strength to remain stoic when she recounted what had transpired. She already told him privately, but hearing it again and the pain in her voice, tore him apart inside. She stared down at her engagement ring that Ranger had immediately replaced on her finger after the hot reunion sex. He knew she was using that ring, a symbol of his love, to stay strong.

A single tear ran down her cheek as she explained what happened with Dan, how she injured her ankle, and hid the phone. Her face turned crimson, and her voice dropped to a whisper when told them about Khalid and the shower. He saw his men's faces as they tried to control their anger as well. Mac took Stephanie's hand and told her how proud of her he was after she told them how she fought back and used the phone to call for help. The ache in Ranger's chest multiplied as she profusely apologized for dropping the GPS.

"Babe, we found you and the girls, because you were smart enough to get to that phone. We found the connection with Dickie Orr because of you. _You_ were the reason we were able to take this ring down."

He remembered the look of shock on her face when she learned about Orr. Then later that evening, he had suggested she have Selma check her over to be safe. Stephanie thought it was better to see Dr James since that was her regular doctor. Again, the horrified look on her face pulled at his heart strings. This situation overwhelmed her and took a toll on her spirit.

Over the past couple of weeks, Stephanie had only left the building twice. Once, Ranger took her to see Selma. Both agreed that they wanted Selma to assume her obstetrical care. They still had time to work out the details since Selma was in New Brunswick. Ranger figured he would rent a place there, and they would temporarily move to New Brunswick during the last couple of months of the pregnancy. And for the first time since they had gotten back to Trenton, Stephanie appeared to be a little relieved. She fully trusted Selma. Now, if he could just get Stephanie to trust in herself again.

The second time she left the building was when the Merry Men insisted upon taking her out for lunch. She resisted at first because Ranger wasn't going with them. But, the looks of disappointment on their faces changed her mind. Especially after they went through all that trouble to make her a special brownie sundae a few days prior.

With only the recipe from Ella, Lester and Ram made the brownies from scratch while Hal and Woody made homemade ice cream to go with it. Cal, Junior, and Zip bought the hot fudge, Reese's Peanut butter sauce, whipped cream, and cherries for the finishing touch. They brought her up to the roof to have an ice cream picnic. All of Rangeman worked hard to give her as much love and support as they could. No matter what they did, Stephanie just wasn't coming around. Ranger struggled with this the most. Stephanie was hurting, and he wasn't able to fix it.

In general, most men would be pleased that their women would listen to what they said, did what they asked, stayed out of trouble, and didn't argue back. Not Ranger. He missed the real Stephanie. As frustrating as it was to have her fight with him on almost every issue, he found himself hoping she would argue back. That was his Stephanie…it was part of her charm. He had no intention to push her. She had gone through a traumatic experience…and had blamed herself. Ranger thought she should have the time and space to work through her emotions.

Stephanie knew everyone was concerned about her…again. Although she knew that Dickie was involved before Ranger confirmed it, she still felt a little betrayed. She didn't know why because she never had any loyalty from that selfish prick. But when she found out about Dr James….well, it just pushed her over the edge. Yes, she didn't actually _put_ Stephanie in the hands of that black market baby ring. But, she was involved.

Stephanie felt so violated. Thank God for Ranger. She loved him so deeply and needed him as badly. The doubts and fears about Ranger waking up one day and deciding that he wanted his freedom were vanquished. He needed her as much as she needed him. To be needed on that level, somehow, gave Stephanie a new found sense of self. Now, if she could get passed this ridiculous fear of leaving the building.

Ranger and the Merry Men had been bending over backwards to be there for her. The brownie sundae picnic took her by surprise. The fact that they went out of their way and made the brownies and ice cream…without Ella's help…just solidified their friendship. Sure, they had to do things for her because Ranger told them to, but it was the above and beyond things that stood out.

Then…there was the huge welcome home party that Maria organized. Stephanie still felt a little guilty that she had been a bit of a baby about it. Maria wanted her and Ranger to come for a special dinner last week. She didn't know that Raoul had flown Marissa and his children up for it. The fact that Henried was still on the loose didn't help matters. She only felt safe in the apartment, so she lied and told them she wasn't up to it. Before she knew it, Maria and Ella put Plan B into action and had the dinner on the 4th floor. They invited her family as well. It felt so good to be back with everyone again.

Not only was she trying to deal with the fear of leaving the Rangeman building, but now she had to contend with the physical changes in her body. The little baby bump popped out overnight. She had gone to sleep that last night being held captive with a flat stomach. It was Ranger that noticed the little pooch. Figures. He never missed a thing! It was only noticeable when she had on form-fitting clothes. It wouldn't be long before her clothes wouldn't fit anymore.

There was kind of a weird comfort, and a little adorability factor about waking up with Ranger's hand on her belly. Ranger's constant contact with her belly was his way of bonding with their twins. Her doubts about Ranger wanting these babies also had gone out the window.

She hadn't been in the mood for her music either. She knew it would help her to get out of this funk. Maybe tomorrow if the weather was nice, she would head up to the roof. Stephanie moped around the apartment all morning. Even though she loved all the court shows, she would rather have stuck a fork in her eye than look at Judge Judy's lemon sucking face again. She stuffed her face with cookies and milk before making another lap around the apartment again.

Ranger bought her a new laptop a few days ago. Thinking her computer was his, he destroyed his own with his little temper tantrum. But, hers was old. It wasn't able to support some of the newer programs that Rangeman used. She opened the pink laptop and booted it up. She couldn't believe he actually bought something pink. He didn't send Hector out to buy it either. Ranger, the bad ass in black, physically went to the computer store, asked for and purchased a _pink_ laptop.

But then again, he did dress in drag for her. That said a lot. As much as Ranger was confident, self-assured, and secure, his image was still important to him. Dressing up like a transsexual was not in his top _100_ _Things to Do_ list. Who would ever have believed that such an incredibly handsome and sexy man made such ugly woman? She almost smiled at the thought. Almost.

When she was kidnapped by MacGregor last October, it was hard on everyone. Ranger only had a few days of torture. But this time, it hit him harder. They had the long talk he promised her. The decision was made to not tell her right away about the headless body and her necklace. Ranger didn't want to push her over the edge. He knew she had been overwhelmed as it was. She had no idea that everyone thought she was dead. Leaving the necklace at the scene was her idea. The unnecessary worry they experienced was her fault. Then, already feeling like shit, Ranger's admission that he missed her phone call because he passed out from drinking crushed what was left of her spirit. Once again, her stupid impulsive behavior caused so much devastation and hurt to the ones she loved. And, being in this continued funk wasn't helping matters either.

Despite Henried slipping through the FBI's fingers, Stephanie wasn't too worried about him anymore. She knew he would crawl back into the woodwork and hide until the storm passed. Eventually, he would emerge and get back to selling women and children. She knew Ranger and the Merry Men had their concerns about Henried coming after her. But, Stephanie didn't. She got the sense that he loved making money and preserving himself more than revenge.

She was, however, worried about Inga. Henried was the father of her baby. Would he come back to claim the child for his own…or to sell it to the highest bidder? She had spoken to Inga a couple of times. Her father, for the first time in his business career, took a leave of absence from work. They were both in counseling, and Inga told her they were leaving at the end of the week to spend a month in Switzerland. They had a vacation home there, and her father wanted them to get to know each other. Stephanie was excited for Inga. She really was a nice kid. She was just so lonely. Of course, that predator Henried could spot a troubled girl from a hundred yards away.

Not really in the mood to surf the web anymore, Stephanie quickly read her emails, responded to a couple, and deleted all the spam. She shut it down and put the laptop away. Not hearing Ranger come up behind her, she jumped when he spoke.

"Not in the mood to Google, Babe?" She rolled her eyes as she spun around in the chair to face him.

"No, Carlos," she sighed, "I'm not in the mood to _Google_, or shop, or play the piano, or guitar."

She ran a hand through her hair. Ranger leaned against the door jam. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I'm in this total funk, and I don't know how to pull myself out of it. I feel…broken."

Ranger sauntered over, scooped her up, and slid into the chair under her. She draped an arm around his shoulder and leaned her head on him.

"Do you want to talk about it? Maybe see a therapist or something?"

She shook her head. "So much has happened, and I feel like I'm fighting all these demons." She dropped her face in her hands and groaned. "I probably need an exorcist more than a therapist." Her own body shook as she felt him chuckle.

"I might be able to help you with that, Babe," he replied in his husky voice. "I know exactly how to _exercise_ you. As a matter of fact, I think I'll take care of those demons now. I'm gonna fuck the hell out of you."

She couldn't help but smile. She didn't even need to look at his face to know that wolfish grin was in place. Sliding her hand over the hardened rope in his pants, he dropped his head back and moaned.

"Is this the _instrument_ that's going to cast out the demons?" she purred as freed him from his cargos. She gently scrapped her nails along the underside of his erection. Sucking in his breath, all he could do was nod.

"Oh yeah, Babe," he finally gasped. "And…I'm going to make you see God."

In a tangle of arms and legs, they held each other afterwards. With both of their hearts still pounding, they lay there trying to catch their breath.

"A-men," Stephanie muttered. Ranger snickered.

"This house is clean," Ranger joked.

This brought that heart melting smile back…her real smile as her eyes lit up. The smile he missed so much. He glanced at his watch and groaned.

"Sorry, Babe. I gotta get going. I've got a meeting in 20 minutes." He gave her a quick peck before rolling out of bed.

"Sure…love me and leave me," she teased. He quickly dressed.

"Don't worry. I'm sure you'll need another…_blessing_ later." He stepped into his boots.

"Um…I was wondering…" she started. She bit her lower lip. Ranger craned his neck around with raised eyebrows. "Would it be okay if I joined the morning meeting tomorrow?" He gave her his 200 watt smile and nodded.

"More than okay." She sat up pulling the sheet up around her drawing her knees up to her chest.

"I have something that I want to discuss with everyone. Something that's been on my mind," she explained. "At least it will get me out of the apartment for a while." He kissed the tip of her nose.

"I think that's a great idea," he agreed. "But if at any time you think you're doing too much, you can back off. Set your own pace, Babe." She gently placed a hand on his arm.

"Thanks, Carlos…for understanding."

He twisted around to pull her to him. Everything always seemed okay when she was in his arms. He gave her one last kiss before he left. Yeah, if she didn't do something and something soon, she'd never leave the apartment again. But now…she needed a nap. Having demons cast out of her body was exhausting!

Lester had the day off. Having nothing to do, and no one to do it with, he ventured to Quakerbridge Mall. He saw a twenty-four inch, stuffed kangaroo with two baby kangaroos in her pouch. Grinning from ear to ear, he bought it for Stephanie. He was really worried about her. Well, they all were. It was killing him that she was having such a hard time dealing. That mother fucker that put his hands on her was lucky Ranger killed him so quickly. He only wished he had been able to get his own shot in first! He wanted to do whatever he could to help cheer her up.

The kangaroo's head peered over the top of the bag. He didn't give a second thought to the strange looks he got from the other shoppers at first. He guessed it wasn't every day they saw a six foot three inch guy walking around with a stuffed animal. After a while, it did start to make him feel a little uncomfortable. What if they though he was gay? After his _distraction_ job, he was a lot more self-conscious about _men_ looking at him funny. A young man in an expensive suit looked him up and down.

"Love your kangaroo," he lisped. Okay…that's it. Lester ducked into the very next store.

Shit…it was a book store. Why couldn't it have been something more manly? Like a porn shop or a place that sold guns. He might as well have been seen drinking a latte or a pink cocktail with an umbrella.

He looked around at the shelves and their contents. Hmmm….maybe he could find something else for Stephanie? Fiction or non-fiction? Science fiction? New Age…what the fuck was that? Medical…Children's…ooh Military! He skimmed those selections. Wait…Steph wouldn't care about this stuff. Romance? Shit…Ranger would kick his ass if he gave her a _romance_ book. Self Help….whoa! He pulled out a book about sexual positions….with full color illustrations! Hey…he never tried that one before.

"Can I help you?"

Startled, Lester dropped the book. Standing before him was a hot little red head…with a nice rack. "Oh…hi…um…I was just looking around. I was trying to find a book for a friend. She's trying to get over a bad experience."

The red head nodded then bent over to retrieve the book. "The Guide to Better Sex?" she asked as she handed him back the book.

Lester turned five shades of red. He glanced down at her name tag on one of those luscious breasts. "Well…maybe not _this_ one," he responded sheepishly with his lopsided grin, "uh…Ex-La?"

"_Zye_-la," Xylia told him.

Lester held out his hand. "Lester. Nice to meet you, Xylia."

He shoved the book back into its place on the shelf. On a more careful inspection, Xylia was hot…sort of had that naughty librarian thing going on. She was a little shorter than the women he'd been with before, but was that what he wanted? Didn't he want to look for that someone special and have a relationship like Stephanie and Ranger? Did he really want to meet the love of his life in a bar?

"Nice to meet you, too, Lester. Can I help you find something for your friend?"

Lester snapped back to attention. "Uh…yeah. I got her this." He held up the bag with the kangaroo. "She's pregnant with twins, and this one has 2 babies in its pouch."

Xylia smiled. "Are they yours?" Xylia looked at him cautiously.

Lester shook his head immediately. "No! Uh...no. My friend, who's my boss too, is the father. They're both my friends. I have no idea about books, or what she would like to read. I saw the Self Help thing and thought maybe there might be something here…uh…so she could…um…help herself or something." Nice move, Santos, he scolded himself. Just keep rambling on like an idiot!

Xylia smiled. "You sound like a good friend, Lester," she said. "What hobbies does she have?"

"Music. She can sing and plays guitar and piano," Lester offered after giving it some thought.

Xylia took him by the arm and led him to the music section. After looking through all the music books, Lester still didn't know what to buy. But, he certainly knew what he was going to do next.

"Xylia, would you like to have lunch with me?" She looked up and gave him a fantastic smile.

"Thank you, Lester!" she gushed. "I would really like that. Hang on while I let the others know I'm leaving."

He watched her cute little ass sashay to the register. Fate, he thought, it was fate. If he wasn't trying to hide from the gay guy, he would have never met Xylia. He had a feeling she was something special.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

Through the mirror, Ranger watched Stephanie finish toweling off as he lathered his face with shaving cream. He couldn't help himself. It was one of the few times she was distracted enough not to be so self conscious about being naked in front of him. Now he had a full view of her stomach. He was fascinated with her little baby bump. He shifted his gaze upward to see that Stephanie caught him in the act. She hastily wrapped herself back up as she rolled her eyes.

"You're obstructing my view," he joked. She snatched the towel from her head and flicked him in the behind.

"Yeah, well I don't see you standing around naked," she shot back.

Ranger opened his towel and quickly flashed her. She just huffed towards the dressing room. Ranger laughed as he readjusted his towel before he turned back to the sink. A few minutes later, an ear-piercing scream resonated throughout the apartment.

He jerked his hand, and the blade nicked his chin. Dropping the razor, he ran to the dressing room as he left a trail of blood droplets. He skidded a bit on one of Stephanie's wet foot prints and jammed his hip into the door frame. The now loosened towel fell to the floor and tangled up Ranger's feet. He fell head long, scraping his favorite body part on the Berber carpet.

"Carlos?"

Groaning, he snaked one hand down to his groin as he slowly pulled himself up with the other. Stephanie looked down at him frowning. She appeared to be okay.

"What are you doing?"

"You screamed, Babe," he forced out through gritted teeth. Rug burns hurt like hell…and this one was in the worst place imaginable. "I thought you hurt yourself, or something was wrong with the babies."

"I thought you were kidding around." Stephanie snorted then covered her mouth with her hand. "I mean…you came running in here naked." Ranger eased himself down gently on the leather bench. "Are you all right? You're bleeding." Stephanie picked up the towel and dabbed his chin.

"That's not what hurts," he grumbled. He looked her up and down again. She was in her bra and unzipped cargo pants. "So…why did you scream? What's wrong?"

"I couldn't zip up my pants," Steph whined. "Look." She tried to pull the zipper up, but the edges wouldn't even meet to close around her belly. "I'm so fat!"

Ranger dropped his face into his hands. He almost became a eunuch because her pants didn't fit. Blowing out a huge sigh, he pulled her close and kissed her belly.

"You're not fat…you're beautiful," he told her. They both glanced down at the little strawberry on the tip of his penis.

"Do you want me to kiss it and make it better?"

Ranger smirked. "No. Swelling is the _last _thing I need right now." He rewrapped his towel around his waist as he stood. "I've got to finish getting ready." He padded back to the bathroom to look for the antibiotic ointment.

Stephanie was still pawing through her wardrobe when he returned. "None of my uniforms fit," she cried.

He wasn't surprised because it had been a month since she last wore one. "Ella can order you some new uniforms," he explained as he finished getting dressed.

She was still in her bra and panties. The offending pair of pants had been discarded and tossed into the corner. Her swelling breasts bulged over the top of her bra cups. She was going to need new everything. They both glanced at the clock.

"You'd better get downstairs. I'll be down as soon as I can find something that doesn't make me look like a whale." Ranger gave her a quick peck on the cheek and headed down to 5.

As the team gathered in the conference room, Ranger ducked into his office first. He placed a call to Ella to ask about new uniforms for Steph.

"Don't worry," Ella assured him. "I'll put a spandex panel in the front of her cargos and order her some maternity shirts."

"Thanks Ella. She wasn't too thrilled this morning when she couldn't zip her pants. Maybe a chocolate cake will cheer her up?" Ella laughed into the phone.

"I'll make a special dinner to go with it. Don't worry. I know this has been really hard on her, but she is strong. We'll have the old Stephanie back before you know it," she replied.

"I hope so. I'm getting concerned. I just wish she would argue with me about something. Anything!"

"Just keep giving her your love and support," Ella told him. "You'll both get through this."

Ranger disconnected the call and grabbed the files for the meeting. He was disappointed that Stephanie still hadn't come down yet. She had tons of clothes that she could wear. Maybe she was using this as another excuse to stay in the apartment?

Valerie passed out the meeting agenda as Lester came barreling inside. A wistful smile played on his lips. He took his normal seat and grabbed the agenda. Everyone stopped what they were doing to stare.

"What the hell is the matter with you?" Ram asked him. Lester broke into his full, lopsided grin.

"He must have dropped the soap in the shower and hit his head when he bent over," Woody joked. They broke out laughing.

"Nah…he's just retarded," Ram added. Lester just shook his head but didn't say a word. He crossed his arms and eased back into his chair.

"Well?" Tank broke in. "Are you going to tell us why you're grinnin' like one of those flying monkeys in the Wizard of Oz?"

"I got a date Saturday," he proudly announced. There were groans, eye rolls, and lips smacking.

"Pfft…so what else is new? You're getting laid. It's about damn time," Woody said.

Lester sat upright. The smile disappeared, and he looked genuinely offended. "It's _not_ like that!" he insisted. "Xylia is a _nice_ girl. I met her in a book store at the mall."

The room became silent, and jaws dropped all around. It took a few moments for the initial shock to wear off everyone.

"I don't know what's more unbelievable…" Ranger began, "…_you_ meeting a nice girl, or _you_ actually in a book store." The men howled in laughter.

Lester became more indignant. "No…I _really_ met her at the book store. I wasn't _looking_ for books. Well…there was a really hot sex book with pictures and everything. But, I went into the book store to get away from the gay guy who was checking out my kangaroo." More laugher.

Lester turned crimson. "_Fine_…you assholes can laugh all you want, but I'll be taking out a hot little red head on Saturday while you are all choking your chickens!"

The room grew quiet. Lester followed everyone's gaze to the doorway. Stephanie nervously shifted from one foot to the other with her arms crossed.

"Come on in, Babe," Ranger urged. She finally had settled on one of his black Rangeman shirts and her yoga pants. Before she even got two feet inside the room, Bobby jumped up and hugged her.

"Welcome back, Steph," he told her. Each of the Merry Men took their turns as they passed her along to her usual seat. A seat that had been empty for far too long.

Stephanie was grateful for their love and support. She knew her anxiety was unwarranted. Especially in the safe cocoon of the Rangeman building. Even Valerie was excited to see her out of the apartment. She started back towards her desk, but Stephanie detained her.

"Stay for a minute, I have something that I want to talk to everyone about, and that includes you, too." Valerie nodded.

"You have the floor, Babe," Ranger said as he gestured around the table with his hand.

"Well, first…" She paused, took a deep breath, and slowly blew it out. "I just wanted to say thank you to everyone again…for being so good to me. I love you all for that, and I'm trying to get things back….to normal." She looked around at their faces, nodding for her to continue. "Well, what I wanted to talk to you about is…um…if you had decided what to do with the money in the Swear Jar yet."

Valerie shook her head. "No…it's still there," she replied. "I counted it a while back, and it had over $4000.00 in there." The room erupted in gasps and low whistles. "Uh…I told you the language in here was pretty bad."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Well, if it's _okay_ with all of you, I would like to donate that money to the women's shelter where I used to volunteer. If it wasn't for them, I wouldn't have known about being able to call 911 on all cell phones thing. Even if the service is cancelled. It's still a good cause, but what I learned there saved me from…"

She swallowed hard. She felt the comfort of Ranger's hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. She didn't know if it was Lester or Tank first, but they all started clapping in support. Ranger kissed the back of her hand.

"Proud of you, Babe," he mouthed to her.

Valerie grabbed her in a vice-like hug. "I think that would be perfect!" she agreed, tears in her eyes. The applause died down.

"One more thing," Stephanie announced. "As much as I _hate_ that thing, I'd like to suggest that we keep it, but make it _voluntary_. Helping others in need is really a good thing. But Val, if I see you shake that damn thing again, I swear I will beat the living shit out of you."

Amidst the snorts and snickers, Ranger stood up and hugged Stephanie.

"That's the best idea I've heard in a while," he told her. "Val? Let me know what the final total is, and I will double it."

Valerie nodded before going back to her desk. Ranger held out Stephanie's chair, but she declined to sit.

"I'm going to head back upstairs. I just wanted to talk about the charity thing," she explained without looking him in the eye.

He was glad she didn't because it was hard to hide his disappointment. At least this was a start. "Okay," he replied. "I'll talk to you later. Call me if you need me."

She kissed his cheek and waved goodbye to the others as she walked to the door. She didn't stop until she was back inside the apartment.

Stephanie was on a mission. She wanted to go through all her clothes to see what still fit. Ivy greeted her at the door and trotted behind her as Stephanie headed to the closet. She was surprised to find Ella gathering all her cargo pants. Caught in the act, Ella looked like a deer in the head lights.

"He called you…didn't he?"

Ella shrugged her shoulders before nodding. "We knew this day would come, honey," Ella told her gently.

Stephanie flopped onto the leather bench with a groan. "I know," she sighed. "It's hard to try to get back to _normal_ when you can't even get into your _normal _clothes."

Ella sat beside her and held up one of the cargo pants. "I thought that I could put in a spandex panel here," she explained as she pointed out what she planned to do. "These will be pull-on-pants, but at least you'll still get some use out of them for a little bit. I ordered you some maternity tops. They are just plain Rangeman shirts but longer than what you had before."

She paused to give Stephanie a knowing smile. Stephanie smirked. Ranger picked out her current work shirts. He probably ordered them from the same place Mattel got their Barbie clothes.

"And, they are fuller around the middle," Ella added.

Stephanie hugged her. "Thanks, Ella. You always know how to help me." She rubbed her little bump. "But, I'm going to need more clothes. I'm spilling out of my bras. And, I don't want to sit around here wearing Carlos' shirts and stretch pants either. I need to go to the mall…but I'm still scared." Stephanie gave her a sad smile. "That's stupid, isn't it?"

Ella kissed her cheek. "It's not stupid. You went through a horrible ordeal, Stephanie. It takes time to get over something like that. It's only been a month. Besides, you don't have to go alone. Ranger or any of the boys will take you."

Stephanie let out a sarcastic laugh. "Now this will be a switch," she began but paused to giggle. "The guys will be more excited to take me shopping at the mall than _I_ am!"

Ella joined her laughter. "I'll have this pair ready for tomorrow," she told her as gathered Stephanie's cargos. "The new shirts will be ready in a couple days." Ella turned to face her. "Do you want anything special for lunch?"

Stephanie shook her head. "Whatever you make will be fine," she replied with a smile. "Ella? What would I do without you?"

"It's my pleasure to take care of you and the boys," Ella explained. "And, I can't wait to take care of those babies." She started for the door.

"Ella?" She paused and looked back at Stephanie over her shoulder. "Can I ask you something?"

"Of course, dear. You can ask me anything."

Stephanie bit her lower lip. "Um…why didn't you and Luis have children?"

Ella gave her a sad smile. "We would have liked to have children. After we got married, we tried for years, but I never got pregnant. So when I went to be evaluated, it was discovered that I had ovarian cancer."

Stephanie gasped. "Oh my God, Ella!"

"I was lucky it was only stage 2. But that was at a time when they took everything to be sure." Ella sat back down next to Stephanie. "I had a hard time dealing with losing my uterus at such an early age. Unfortunately, we were doing okay but not as well as the adoption agencies would like. We did take in foster children which I absolutely loved. By the time we were financially stable, we were considered too old. We didn't have enough money to adopt an overseas child either."

"I'm really sorry, Ella," Stephanie apologized as tears welled up in her eyes. "And all those times I complained about getting pregnant and not wanting children in front of you…." She broke off to sniffle. "I'm so sorry!"

Ella pulled her into a hug. "Having children is a personal choice. It's not wrong to not want children. But it is wrong to not appreciate the gifts you have been given." She kissed Stephanie's temple. "I have no doubt that you will love and cherish you children and will make a fine mother. You just don't give yourself enough credit."

She hugged Ella back then watched her leave. That much was true. Stephanie never gave herself enough credit for anything.

Ranger finished up the last of the reports that were stacked in his inbox. He wanted to start getting back into the field, but his concern for Stephanie kept him grounded. She didn't come out and admit it, but she almost had a panic attack the other day when she found out he'd left the building on a site visit. He probably should have let her know where he was going, but she always called his cell. He didn't expect her to come down to his office looking for him. Hal and Woody sat with her until he was able to get back to the office.

Ranger felt that if Stephanie could get back into a routine, she would be able to join the Land of the Living again. He also thought about bringing her down to Miami. His grandmother's birthday was coming up. Unless he was deployed or on a government assignment, Ranger always made it to Miami to put flowers on his grandmother's grave every year. His grandmother was such an important person in his life. She helped him turn around and make something of himself. This little custom was something he had kept private all these years. Never shared it with anyone. He wanted to share this with Stephanie. Maybe getting Stephanie out of Trenton for a short trip would help her take her mind off her demons. If he used his grandmother as an excuse, Stephanie would never question it.

Just as Ranger rose from his chair, the phone rang. Valerie informed him Mr. Rasmussen was calling for him. Rasmussen? Christ. He hoped it wasn't anything about Henried.

"Manoso," he answered quickly.

Stephanie looked at the pile of clothes on the leather bench. There sure wasn't much left, but they fit. Well, she was able to get in them. She couldn't put it off any longer. She needed to get out and go shopping. That's what her mind told her. Now to just be able to tell Ranger that she needed to be taken to the mall. As she was formulating her plan, the ringing of the phone made her jump.

"Hello?"

"Babe…you okay?"

"Uh…yeah. Just startled by the phone. What's up?"

"I just wanted to let you know that I have to go out for a while. I have to check on some properties for a client, and I'll be gone for a couple of hours. You can still reach me on my cell. Will you be okay?"

"I'll be fine." She smiled. "Thanks for letting me know."

"I'll see you later, Babe."

He disconnected without letting her say goodbye. Ranger had really been working hard on trying to change. He was more open about his feelings. He tried to keep her posted on where he was at all times. But, his phone manners still sucked.

Ranger felt like a kid on Christmas morning as he pulled into the Rangeman garage. He wracked his brain trying to think of something special to do for Stephanie. This opportunity fell right into his lap. As he stopped off on 5 to give the Control Room the codes, he sensed something was wrong.

"Steph's been up on the roof for the last hour," Hal explained.

"With her guitar?" Ranger asked in surprise. She hadn't played at all since the kidnapping.

Hal shook his head. "No. She's just been standing by the edge staring into space."

Ranger nodded then ran up the stairs.

Just as Hal said, Stephanie was standing on the north side of the building looking down on Trenton. She must have heard the sound on his boots on the gravel because she turned and smiled.

"I saw you pull in," she told him. "Did everything go okay?"

He nodded then wrapped his arms around her middle pulling her close. He rubbed the baby bump as he kissed her temple. "Went better than expected. How about you? Everything okay?"

Biting her lower lip, she shook her head no. Her gaze dropped towards her feet as she lowered her head. Ranger tilted her chin up to regain their eye contact.

"Is there anything I can do to help?"

She nodded and turned to face him. She took a deep breath and slowly blew it out before taking his hands in hers. "I'm sorry," she began.

Ranger frowned. "Sorry? Sorry for what, Babe? I don't understand."

"I've been too scared to leave the building. Everyone's been bending over backwards for me. Everyone's worried about me. All because of me being afraid. It's so dumb. I'm sorry," she explained as a single tear rolled down her face.

"It's not dumb. You've been through a lot. I'm surprised that you're not hiding in the closet."

Stephanie snorted. "The thought crossed my mind, but you don't have a TV in there," she joked. He wiped the tear from her face with his thumb. She took another deep breath and exhaled. "I…I need to go to the mall tomorrow. Nothing fits. Would it be okay if one of the guys takes me shopping tomorrow?"

"I'll take you…"

She cut him off. "It can't be you, Carlos. I need to be able to leave the building without you. It's not fair to you to have to rearrange your schedule all the time to accommodate me. I _have_ to do this. If I don't do this tomorrow, I don't think I'll ever get over this stupid fear."

Ranger understood exactly what she meant. "Your fear is not stupid, Stephanie. But…I understand what you are saying. I'll check the schedule to see who is available tomorrow. I'm proud of you, Babe. It takes a lot of courage to overcome your fear instead of giving in to it."

Stephanie looked like the weight of the world had just been removed from her shoulders. "Thanks for understanding, Carlos." She leaned in and kissed him. He pulled her close and deepened the kiss. He couldn't wait for her to see the surprise he had for her. He broke the contact and took her hand, leading her towards the stairs.

"Come on," he told her. "We're going for a ride."

"A ride? Where to?"

He looked back and saw the panic on her face. He tucked a stray curl behind one ear and kissed the tip of her nose. "It's going to be okay. Do you trust me?"

"Of course I do!" she insisted.

"Okay then…let's go."

He led her back to the apartment. A large duffel bag sat in the hall. He picked up the kitchen phone and buzzed Ella. She assured him the car was packed and the duffel had everything they needed. He thanked her and disconnected.

"We'll be on the road for about an hour and a half, so hit the bathroom now," he instructed. She started to open her mouth but he cut her off. "Trust me?"

Nodding, she did as she was told. He grabbed a jacket for each of them. After helping her on with hers, he donned his own jacket and hoisted the duffel over one shoulder.

"Where's Ivy?" she asked as he took her hand.

"Ella and Luis have her." Stephanie just nodded and let him lead her to the garage. She didn't speak again until he steered her towards the Mustang. She looked at him questioningly.

"I think it's about time we take her for a ride. Don't you, Babe?"

The Mustang he bought for her had been sitting in the garage for about a month. It had never been driven. Not by her…or anyone. Another thing she was afraid of…driving the Mustang. The white convertible with black twin stripes was an amazing car. She really did love it. The beautiful Mustang made the #2 Mobile all the more ugly. But what if something happened to it? She knew Ranger wouldn't care as long as she was safe, but he spent so much money on it. She didn't want him throwing money away on cars for her.

Ranger angled into the driver's seat and cranked over the engine. The powerful eight cylinder motor roared to life as if no time had passed. He released the latches to the rag top and lowered the roof. Then he hopped out and grabbed the duffel bag to throw in the trunk. Stephanie stood there like a statue, her feet rooted in place.

"Ready?"

She looked from Ranger to the car and then back to Ranger. Uncertainty was written all over her face, but she nodded. The fear had pushed her heart rate up, but the desire to break free of the confines of Rangeman won. She opened the door and found a Rangeman hat on the passenger seat. Of course, she told herself, he thinks of everything. Pushing the fear away, she slid into the seat and buckled her seatbelt. She pulled her hair through the small hole at the back of the cap and adjusted it.

"I'm ready," she finally replied giving him her heart melting smile. This time, the smile reached her eyes.

The first thing that Lester did after getting out of the shower was call Xylia. He couldn't stop thinking about her. The guys rode him all day about his upcoming date. Screw those jerks. They were just jealous. He reached for his phone on the night stand and sat on the edge of his bed.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Xylia. It's me…Lester."

"I'm so glad you called. I was just thinking about you," she cooed into the phone. Lester beamed.

"You were? What were you thinking about?" If he couldn't be with her having sex, he might as well have the next best thing…_phone sex_.

"I was thinking about our date. We're going to have so much fun," she explained. Oh yeah, we are going to have a great time, Lester mused.

"Have you thought about where you want to go to dinner?" He would take her where ever she wanted to go.

"Actually, I do have an idea. My church is having a Fish Fry. We're trying to raise money for a new organ." Lester flopped onto his back and mentally groaned. Not at _all_ what he had in mind. And sure as hell not the _organ_ he was thinking about either. She must have picked up on his displeasure because of the long silence.

"Is that okay? We could do something else. It's just we always have so much fun at our church dinners…." He jerked himself upright.

"_NO_…uh…no, Xylia. That's fine. If you want to go to the Fish Fry, that's what we'll do. I was….uh…just thinking about taking you some place fancy. That's all." He held his breath and hoped she bought that.

"I don't need fancy restaurants, Lester," she giggled. "I'm a very simple and low maintenance kind of girl. All I need is a good book and the Lord."

The Lord? What the hell? He heard her giggle again, and he laughed along with her. What a great sense of humor, he thought. After all, he wanted a nice girl. He was done with those empty one night stands. Yeah, the sex was great, but he wanted more now. He wanted what Stephanie and Ranger had. The church thing threw him a little bit, but good girls went to church, right? Nothing wrong with that.

"I really can't wait to see you again," he said.

"Me, too. Look, I have to go now, Lester. I have a customer. I'll talk to you tomorrow. Good night."

Lester said his goodbyes then snapped his phone shut. A first date at a church fish fry. Not usually his typical first date, but Lester was sure it would go well. Xylia was active in her church, so he would to have to support that. Besides, it wouldn't matter if he made her scream _Oh God_ or _Oh Lester_…as long as she screamed something. He finished getting dressed then went to the Rec Room to see what Ella left out for dinner.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Atlantic City?" Stephanie yelled over the roar of the wind. He still didn't tell her where they were headed, but the signs seemed to indicate AC.

Ranger just shook his head. "No…but close." He reached over and squeezed her hand. "We're almost there."

About fifteen minutes later, they were crossing the Longport Bridge to the island. Stephanie asked him at least a dozen times what was in Longport, but he just smiled back. He didn't speak until he pulled in the driveway of a large, contemporary, gray house with white trim.

"Surprise," he told her then kissed her cheek.

Her eyes widened as her mouth opened and closed. The confusion on her face gave away her trying to decide if he had purchased the house or not.

"No, Babe, I didn't buy you a beach house."

"Whose house is this? Why are we here?"

Ranger got out of the car, walked around, and opened the passenger door for her. She took his offered hand, and he pulled her to her feet.

"I got a call today from Rasmussen. They're going to be gone longer than planned, and he hired Rangeman to secure a few of his personal properties. This was one of them. In gratitude for all we did for Inga, especially you, he said we can use the place whenever we want." Ranger snaked an arm around her waist and led her to the door. "I know it's not Point Pleasant, but it's right on the beach, and the houses aren't on top of each other."

Stephanie couldn't put two words together to even form a sentence. The house was gorgeous. And, all she saw so far was just the back. The closest houses were about a football field away on either side. The salty air heightened her senses along with the crashing of the waves. Stephanie loved the ocean. There were times when she would drive out to Point Pleasant, just sit on the beach, and listen to the waves for hours.

Ranger escorted her inside. The decor was understated but elegant. The main floor held the kitchen, dining room, living room with a fireplace, and a sunroom with sliding glass doors that lead to an enormous deck. On the right side of the house, a tower boasted an open stair case leading to the second floor.

"Nice, huh?" Ranger whispered into her ear as pulled her back into his chest.

Stephanie just nodded. She was still too surprised to speak. He brushed his lips against temple as he hugged her tight.

"Why don't you look around while I get a few things out of the car?"

Brief panic flashed in her eyes. "I'll help you," she insisted, a slight blush creeping into her cheeks. Embarrassed by her response, she attempted to cover it. "I mean…both of us can get it done faster, so we can enjoy this place."

Ranger squeezed her hand. They weren't inside Rangeman now. He should have been more aware that leaving her inside an unfamiliar, and unsecured, house was not the best decision. She was mortified by her reaction, so he pretended not to notice.

"Okay, Babe," he told her. "I'll grab the heavy stuff, and you can grab the duffel bag."

Hand in hand, they strolled out to the car. The trunk held a large wicker picnic basket, the large duffel, and a smaller bag. Ranger hoisted the large duffel over one shoulder. He handed Stephanie the smaller bag then removed the basket. Stephanie closed the trunk before they headed back inside.

Ranger set the basket on the breakfast bar between the kitchen and the living room. He tossed the duffel on the couch. Stephanie placed the smaller bag next to it.

"What's in the basket?"

Ranger threw her a look over his shoulder and smiled. He knew that her curiosity wouldn't allow her to wait to be surprised. He raised the lid and began to remove the food that Ella had prepared. When she tried to peek, he spun her around and gently pushed her out of the kitchen with a playful swat to her behind.

"This is for later."

"Did I see Ella's chocolate cake in there?"

"Not telling."

He quickly finished putting the food away. After grabbing the duffel bags, they journeyed upstairs. Two large bedrooms that shared a full bathroom sat at the back of the house. The master took up the whole front of the house and had its own private balcony.

Spectacular couldn't even describe the view. Stephanie rolled back the sliding glass door and allowed the cool breeze to wash over her. She turned to him, giving him that heart melting smile that he loved so much, and extended her hand. Tossing the duffels on the bed, he took her hand in his, and she pulled him outside. His arms enveloped her waist, hands splayed on her baby bump, and rested his chin on her shoulder.

They both shared a love for the ocean. Something about the sand, the waves, the smell…it had a calming effect on both of them. One day, Ranger did want to move back to his house in Miami. But, this would do for now. He gently placed soft, butterfly kisses up the side of her neck.

"Let's go for a walk."

Ranger had no idea why but was in a rare mood to talk. He had already revealed some of his past to Stephanie. She knew he had gotten into trouble and that his parents sent him to live with his grandmother for a while. But, he always held his cards close to his chest. He never used to be comfortable exposing his deepest and darkest secrets. After almost losing the most precious thing in the world to him, Stephanie, it forced him to learn to open up. Letting his feelings out to Raoul had been liberating. Once thinking emotional outbursts made him weak, he now understood how wrong he was. He felt stronger than he had ever felt.

"What was her name?" Stephanie asked him softly.

"Rosa Elena Manoso. She was my Dad's mother." He brushed his lips across hers in a gently kiss. "She would have really loved you, Babe. I just wish she got to see that I made something of myself."

Stephanie took his face in her hands. She returned his gentle kiss with one of her own. "I'm sure she's looking down and is so proud of you, Carlos."

Ranger flashed his 200 watt grin. The moment was interrupted by growl from Stephanie's stomach. Blushing, she rubbed her belly.

"We're hungry," she told him.

Ranger smirked. "Come on. Ella's prepared something special for you."

When Ranger came to inspect the house earlier that afternoon, he retrieved the patio furniture and cushions from the storage room. He purchased flowers and battery operated candles at a local store. Then he placed a call to Ella to prepare a special dinner and pack it up so they could take it with them. Everything was set for their stay.

Stephanie quickly detoured to the bathroom. Ranger poured her a glass of ice tea and set it on the table on the deck. He placed the battery operated candles on various spots around the patio table.

When she was finished, Ranger ushered her to the lounge chair beside the table. He handed her the ice tea.

"Just relax, Babe," he explained. "I'm going to heat up dinner."

He watched her eyes for her reaction. The panicked look returned. It tore through his heart, but he managed to keep a relaxed expression on his face. She set her ice tea on the end table next to the lounge and started to scoot towards the middle of the cushion.

"I'll help you," she insisted.

Ranger put a hand on her shoulder to stop her. "I've got it, Babe. Just sit back and relax. I'm right in the next room."

She bit her lower lip.

"I brought you hear to spoil you. Sit back, put your feet up, and enjoy the view."

She dropped her gaze but nodded. She was being stupid again, but she couldn't help it. Just watch the waves, she told herself. She heard him getting things ready in the kitchen which helped. Knowing Ranger, he was probably making noise on purpose for her sake. Normally, Ranger never made a sound. That's what made him good at what he did. The notion that he purposely was banging pots and slamming cabinet doors helped to keep her heart rate under a hundred beats per minute.

Ella had outdone herself with dinner. Fettuccini Alfredo with sausage, garlic bread, and a side salad. She even included a bottle of sparkling cider since Stephanie wasn't able to have alcohol. And, it all tasted like heaven.

After dinner, Ranger and Stephanie snuggled in the lounge chair. It didn't take long before she dozed off. It had been a long day, and she was exhausted. With the feel of Ranger, the full stomach, and the rhythmic crashing of the waves, Stephanie felt more content and safe than she had a long time.

The sun hung lower in the sky when Stephanie woke. Still wrapped protectively in Ranger's arms, his warmth gave her comfort. She hugged him tight then stretched.

"Ready for some chocolate cake?"

"Always ready for chocolate cake," she answered with a giggle.

Ranger slid out from under her then helped her to her feet. He started towards the door, but Stephanie tugged him to her.

"Thanks for bringing me here," she began. "This is the first time since….uh…you know." She paused to swallow hard. "This is the first time that I felt like myself in a while."

"Anything for you, Babe. I did bring you here because I thought getting out of Trenton for a bit might be what you needed. But…." He gave her a sly smile. "I have to admit that spending time alone with you fills my selfish needs as well."

"Are you sure that you will be able to fulfill those needs?" she asked while pointing to his crotch. "I mean…you did get a…boo-boo today."

Ranger groaned. "I prefer the term…flesh wound. Men don't sustain _boo-boos_ on their equipment."

Stephanie snorted.

"Don't worry. We'll be ready for anything and everything tonight," he assured her. God bless that triple antibiotic ointment! He had forgotten all about it.

They gathered the plates and took them inside. Ranger cut two pieces of cake. Stephanie raised her eyebrows.

"_You're_ having cake, too?" she asked him incredulously.

He smiled. "I do indulge every once in a while. Besides, I'm going to burn off these calories tonight anyway. I'm giving you a bigger piece so you'll be able to keep up with me," he explained as he waggled his eyebrows. He watched as a rosy hue flooded her cheeks.

He pulled a carton of chocolate milk from the refrigerator and poured her a glass.

"Okay…_who_ are you and _what_ have you done with Carlos?" Stephanie joked.

"Selma told me that chocolate milk was fine," he admitted. "I know I'm a health food nut. When my grandmother died from a heart attack, not only did I make a promise to her that I would straighten up, but I wanted to take better care of myself. So, I quit smoking and started eating healthier."

Stephanie picked up the cake plates while Ranger carried the milk. The glowing candles placed around the deck created a more intimate setting as the sky started to darken. They sat back at the table to eat their cake. Ranger fed her the first bite.

"There is only one thing that is better than Ella's chocolate cake," she moaned.

Ranger gave her a confident smile. "And…you'll be having that later," he added.

Stephanie's fork clinked as she set it on the plate. She folded her hands as she bit her lower lip. "Carlos?"

"Are you okay?"

She nodded. "Um…I've been thinking…." She shifted around and avoided his stare.

"That could be dangerous," he laughed trying to lighten her mood.

Stephanie just rolled her eyes. "Well…we haven't talked about names or anything. I thought that if at least one of these babies was a girl that we could name her Rosa. Rosa Marie Manoso kind of has a nice ring to it. Don't you think?"

Ranger just stared at her.

"We don't have to…," she gushed. She felt like she offended him with her suggestion.

He laced his fingers through hers. "Babe, I couldn't even begin to tell you what that would mean to me to name my daughter after my grandmother. Thank you." He whispered his thanks because his throat had tightened on him. He wanted Rachel to name their baby Rosa, but she insisted on Julie.

"Really?"

Ranger just nodded as he squeezed her hand. "I don't want you to do that just to please me. I want you to want that name too."

"I haven't even begun to think of names, Carlos. That's the truth. But when you told me all about your grandmother and how special she was to you, it just _feels_ right. And if at least one of these babies is a boy, I really want to name him after you."

"I guess we'll have to have 2 girls' names and 2 boys' names ready to go," Ranger agreed. "As long as the babies are healthy, I don't care what we have. But, it would be great if we had one of each."

"Ricky and Rosie," Stephanie mused. She took another forkful of cake. Then she fed one to Ranger.

After he swallowed, he took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. "Every year, I go to Miami for Grandma's birthday. I visit her and tell her what's been happening in my life. I've never told anyone this…not even Tank. Her birthday is next week, and I would like for you to go with me this time."

She couldn't help it. The tears flowed freely. It amazed her that she could have kept herself together this long. Today had been a fantastic day. Ranger shared so much about his relationship with his grandmother. Since the kidnapping, she felt like their relationship had been taken to a much deeper level. Both of them had been so guarded, and the walls had come down. She no longer had any doubts or fears about Ranger dumping her. They were soul mates and were meant for each other. But the fact that he just shared something with her that even Tank didn't know, it just cemented their bond tremendously.

"I would really like that, Carlos. But if you feel that it's important to keep that private, I'll understand."

"I do want to keep that private, but private for us," he explained. He reached over and wiped the tears from her face. "Now hurry up and finish that cake."

Ranger's internal clock woke him at his usual 5:30 in the morning. Stephanie slept peacefully in his arms. It had been a couple weeks since her last bout of morning sickness. Certain strong smells still caused her stomach to roll, but it was going away like Selma said it would. He was grateful to get rid of that morning routine.

The curtains fluttered with the cool breeze from the open door to the balcony. The crashing waves pounded in the distance. This little escape was exactly what Stephanie needed. What they both needed. He gently ran his hand up and down her back, watching her sleep. The sun would be up soon. He'd love to go for a run on the beach, but Stephanie might not be able to handle it. He decided he would wake her in a little while and let her decide.

Letting Stephanie make her own decisions was important to her. It gave her a sense of control in her life. Giving up the control of making decisions on his own was difficult for Ranger. For years, he gave orders and people followed. No questions asked. Not ever being in a relationship before, he wasn't used to the give and take, the compromise, and most of all, relinquishing control over another person. Yes, Stephanie was still his employee, but she was going to be his wife. An equal partner. They were going to be a team and a family. There were going to be times that he fell back into old habits, but he wasn't worried. Stephanie would be sure to remind him.

"Is everything okay?"

He happened to be so deep in thought that he didn't detect her awakening. He tightened his hold on her and kissed her temple. "Every thing's fine. I was just listening to the waves."

She reached over and lifted his wrist to see the time. "Ugh," she groaned. "It's still night time. Go back to sleep."

"It's morning, Babe."

"No it's not. It's still dark out. It's not morning 'til the sun comes up…or it's 10 AM."

He chuckled. "I was thinking about going for a run. Would you be okay with that?"

He felt her body stiffen. He looked into her widened eyes and got his answer. Ranger felt a twinge of guilt. What was he thinking? He took her out of the safe cocoon of the Rangeman building and brought her to a strange and unsecure house. Hell, she was afraid to wait in the living room while he unpacked the car.

"Forget it, Babe," he told her. "I don't have to run today. Let's just hold each other."

Stephanie immediately felt foolish and nibbled on her lower lip. This needed to stop. She had to start getting control of her irrational fear of being alone. Ranger would never let anything happen to her. And, she sure as hell was not going to run off on any solo missions again! She pulled away from him and sat up, drawing her knees to her chest.

"Well…maybe if you ran back and forth in front of the house….it would be okay," she said.

"So…if I run like Jim Carrey in The Cable Guy and look like a fool….that would make you feel better?"

She swatted his thigh and began to giggle. "No! And for the record, running like Jim Carrey should be a breeze for you since you did dress up like an ugly woman for me."

He raised an eye brow. "Ugly?"

"Carlos," she began, "you are an incredibly handsome man. I still get tongue tied when I look at you, but you looked horrible as a woman."

"Damn…I didn't think I looked _that_ bad."

"Well…you did. But what I'm trying to say is that if you keep within eye shot of the house, I think I'll be all right. As long as I can see you, I don't think I'll be afraid." She bit her lower lip again. "I didn't mean that you should look like an idiot running around in a circle."

He gave her his 200 watt grin. "Well, I'm glad we cleared that up. Are you sure about this?"

She nodded. "I have to try to get back to normal. Might as well start today."

Stephanie watched him run along the shore line. Even though she could still see him, her heart rate picked up as he got farther away. When he became a little speck, he turned around and headed back. The tension melted as he got closer to the house. But as soon as he passed the front of the house and continued in the other direction, she almost wished she insisted he did the Jim Carrey imitation. It seemed like she was never going to get over this stupid fear.

Ranger knew she would watch him the whole time. He regretted even bringing it up. But when she insisted, he thought it would be good to try to help her work through her fear. He caught her watching him through the sliding glass doors of the master bedroom. This was a huge step for her. He decided to only run a few laps before calling it quits.

"This was a stupid-ass idea," Stephanie muttered to the empty room. What the hell was she thinking? She could still see him, but she didn't like being alone in that huge beach house by herself. What was she going to do about it? Yell to Ranger to come back? Yeah...sure…get him even more worried about her. As she fiddled with the belt on her robe, the perfect solution popped into her head.

After Ranger turned towards the house again, he could see Stephanie leaning on the rail of the balcony. Her hair billowed from the ocean breeze. It wasn't until he got closer to the house that he realized she was naked. Having been caught totally off guard, he tripped over his own feet and landed face first into the wet, hard sand. The chilly, incoming tide washed over him.

"Shit!" Stephanie exclaimed after watching Ranger fall. She scurried back inside and covered herself with her robe. She braced herself for the upcoming confrontation. It only took seconds to hear the sliding glass door from the downstairs deck roll open then closed. His heavy footsteps echoed in the open stair well before the bedroom door flung open.

"Oh…Carlos," she stammered, "are you done running already? That was fast." He knew she was a horrible liar, but it was the best she could come up with at that moment. Noticing that he was wet, she frowned. "Did you go swimming?"

His eyes held that feral look as he toed off his wet sneakers. With one hand, he reached behind his head and pulled off his shirt. "Either you were really afraid, or you want me bad," he told her in a low and husky tone. He continued to stalk towards her.

Her hormones seized control, and she dropped the robe.

That was all it took. Ranger pounced and pushed her back on the bed. She ran her hands down his back and under the waist band of his damp shorts, shoving them down. Ranger lifted himself up to facilitate their removal so nothing stood in his way.

Ranger burned with desire. She had never done anything like that before. Stephanie had always been so self conscious of her body. The image of her standing naked outside on the deck would be imprinted in his brain forever. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he slid inside her. Starting at a slow and steady pace, he was having a hard time holding back.

Ranger knew it was okay for them to continue a regular sex life during her pregnancy. But, there was no way he would ever ask Selma about how wild and rough they could get. Shit, he knocked her NuvaRing loose. What damage could he do to the babies? Selma did say that Stephanie was a high risk pregnancy because she was having twins.

"Carlos…" Stephanie begged, "harder…_please_!"

He trailed up her neck with his mouth. "I don't want to hurt you."

"You won't. Please."

She felt the vibrations of his groan against her chest as he picked up his pace and pounded into her. Finally! He had thrown away the kid gloves and made love to her the way he did before the kidnapping.

Their coupling was fast and furious and came to an earth-shattering finish. After catching his breath, Ranger tugged the sheet over their bodies as he lay next to her.

"Did I hurt you, Babe?"

She shook her head. "I'm just pregnant, Carlos. I'm not going to break."

He kissed her. "Good to know." He splayed a hand over her belly. "Now tell me the truth. You were scared, weren't you?"

Without looking at him, she nodded. "I know…I'm hopeless."

"I wouldn't say that," he told her. "You have always been so shy about your body. That took a lot of guts coming out of your comfort zone to stand outside naked." He cupped her chin and tilted her face towards him. "You never did anything like that before. It really turned me on." The wolfish grin spread across his face.

"So…there might be hope for me after all?"

"I'd say so. If it helps, you can strip for me any time to help you work through this."

She rolled her eyes. "Don't get used to this. I'm only going to get fatter and the chances of you seeing me naked are going to get few and far between."

"I'm sure I'll get in a peek or 2. You love me and will take care of my needs. I need you in my life, Stephanie. Other than my family, you are the only person to love me, Carlos, for the man that I am. Not for my money or my reputation, but for me. Thank you for loving _me_." He captured her lips with his, and let his tongue caress hers.

"I fell in love with Ranger, but Carlos totally stole my heart." She gave him a sly and devilish smile. "I love you and need you, too. When I first realized how much I needed you, it kind of scared me a little. I guess I never had such deep feelings for anyone before. But to be needed just as much by you, means the world to me. I may be afraid of being by myself right now, but I'm not afraid of loving you anymore."

She followed his gaze to his waist. She noticed the tented sheet then looked up to see the wolfish grin. "Is the off switch broken again? What the hell did you put on that boo…uh…flesh wound?"


	4. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

Ranger kept stealing glances at Stephanie as he drove them home. He wasn't surprised when he offered her the keys to do the driving that she declined. What surprised him…she took a few minutes to think it over. Since she hadn't been behind the wheel in a month, her nerves kicked in about driving the Mustang for the first time when she wasn't familiar with the area. Maybe treating Stephanie normally was more helpful than like a porcelain doll.

Ranger had a busy week planned. Tank set up a few interviews for a distraction girl. Lester was taking Stephanie shopping later that day. He needed to secure the other properties for Rasmussen. He wanted to call Selma to see if it would be okay for Stephanie to fly. If commercial was not a good idea, he would charter a private plane. Driving wouldn't be preferable because they would have to make a lot of stops. The train wouldn't be a great option either. But, whatever was best for Stephanie would be how they travelled to Miami. He couldn't wait to share his most private and personal activity with Stephanie.

They found Lester in the apartment when they got back. Ella had just finished cleaning the apartment and let him in before she left. Lester dozed in the oversized chair with a kangaroo in his lap.

"I agree, Babe," Ranger began as he sidled up to Lester, "he's so not right."

Stephanie giggled. "Wait! Don't wake him up yet."

She hurried to the office to get her camera. It wasn't till after she took a few pictures that she noticed the two little baby kangaroos in the pouch. "Oh my God! That is so adorable."

Lester began to stir. Freezing mid yawn and stretch, he jumped up when he realized they were home. The kangaroo slid to the floor.

"Oh…" He looked sheepish. "Sorry. I didn't get much sleep last night." He bent down to retrieve the stuffed animal. "I saw this and thought you might like it."

"Lester!" she breathed. "Thank you. I love it." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "The kangaroo has twins. Look, Carlos."

Her eyes sparkled as she smiled. Slowly but surely, the real Stephanie was reemerging. It only took a house at the shore, chocolate cake, hot sex, and a kangaroo with twins. Ranger gave Lester a quick nod.

"I thought we could go to lunch after shopping. I met someone at the mall, and I'd like to meet her," Lester suggested.

Both Stephanie's and Ranger's eye brows shot up.

"She works at the book store. I want to know what you think of her."

"Sure, Lester," she replied, "I can't wait to meet her."

Lester chatted up a storm about Xylia on the ride to Quakerbridge Mall. Stephanie had never seen him so excited about a woman before. This Xylia must be really special.

"So…does this mean that you'll be throwing away your little black book?"

Lester smirked. "No doubt, Beautiful. I'm done with all the one night stands. I want someone special in my life."

"You deserve someone special, Les. Even with your horrible pick up lines," Stephanie joked. "Are you sure she is normal? She didn't fall for those stupid lines, did she?"

"Ha ha. I didn't use any pick up lines. I totally bagged this babe on my charm alone."

Stephanie snorted. "Well the fact that she works in a book store and not _Hooters_ gives me the impression that she has a brain."

"You're one of my best friends. Your opinion means a lot to me. But, I really think you're going to love her."

Walking from the SUV to the mall entrance, Stephanie's heart began to pound in her chest. The openness of the parking lot left her feeling exposed and vulnerable. She grabbed Lester's hand in an attempt to feel safer. She was sure even Lester felt the heat from her flushed cheeks.

Lester glanced down at the rosy faced Stephanie. It broke his heart to see her afraid to walk through a parking lot. And then to be embarrassed about it on top of that. He wasn't sure what to do so he just squeezed her hand to offer support.

"Sorry," she muttered.

Lester stopped her and pulled her close. "Don't, Beautiful. I'm here for you. I'll always be here for you. Don't apologize for being afraid. I understand."

She hugged him tight. "Thanks for being my friend."

Lester slung one arm around her shoulders and guided her inside.

Stephanie led him to Motherhood Maternity. The salesgirl seemed more interested in checking out Lester than helping her.

"So what is your _wife_ looking for?" she asked Lester, batting her eyes. She said 'wife' like she was referencing some horrible cancer.

Lester gave Steph his patented, lopsided smile. "Uh…she's looking for maternity clothes."

Stephanie rolled her eyes as the girl almost hurt herself with fake laughter. "I want clothes that will make me look normal. So, people can't tell that I'm pregnant."

"So you want people to just think that you're fat?"

Stephanie looked at her name tag. It read Linda. "Uh…no _Linda_…I don't want people to think I'm fat." Smart ass! "I just don't want stupid shirts that say…'Bun in the Oven' or 'Baby on Board'. I want normal clothes." She just couldn't resist getting in a little zinger of her own. "I'm 4 months pregnant with twins…how far along are you?" She gave Linda her sweetest smile. Take that bitch!

Linda bristled at the suggestion that she looked pregnant. She must have chosen to ignore Steph's comment because she led them to one of the racks of maternity tops. "You probably want to get some of these shirts. Color blocking helps to camouflage the belly. And with twins, you're belly is going to be huge. You'll need _a lot_ of camouflage."

"You aren't wearing one of these tops, are you?" Stephanie shot back. "The camouflage doesn't seem to work." Linda harrumphed and turned her attention back to Lester.

Stephanie watched Linda continue to flirt with Lester while she rifled through the tops. Actually, some of those tops were kind of cute. She selected a black and white one along with a few brightly colored tops.

"I'll hold them for you," Lester offered as he held out his hand.

"What a sweet husband you are!" Linda cooed.

"Oh yeah…he's a sweetie all right," Steph muttered as she relinquished the shirts. "Okay…what else do you have?"

Despite Linda's pissy attitude, she pointed out many nice pieces. Stephanie would be able to mix and match for a while…until she got bigger. Lester heaped the clothes on the counter.

"Think you got enough stuff, Beautiful?"

"For now," she replied as she pulled out her plum Amex card. Ranger insisted she take it and get whatever she needed. If she wasn't in such desperate need for clothes, she would have argued about it.

She looked over her new wardrobe as Linda rung everything up and removed the security tags. They were pretty basic with a few simple jumpers, a few pairs of pants with the stretchy stomach, shorts, tops, and her favorite…the stone-washed jean short overalls. When the weather got hotter, she could wear cotton tee shirts or tank tops under it.

Stephanie thanked Linda as Lester grabbed the bags.

"Come back and see us again," Linda suggested with a wink to Lester. "And bring that gorgeous husband of yours."

Lester beamed as they exited the store. "Where to now?"

"Macys…I still have to get some bras."

Lester waggled his eyebrows. "Sounds good to me."

"You are such a gonad, Lester."

"I know." Lester took her by the hand and led her to Macys.

Stephanie was having a great time. Lester's humor and encouragement eased her anxiety. It felt good to be normal again. He was easy to be with and always made her feel safe. She really hoped that Xylia would appreciate Lester for the person he was inside and not just his good looks.

"I can't believe that I'm a 34 DD!" Stephanie whined as they headed back into the mall.

Lester's dropped to her chest. "I can."

Stephanie groaned as she crossed her arms over her chest while Lester smirked. "It's not funny, Lester. How would you feel if parts of your body started getting bigger?"

Lester grinned from ear to ear. Okay, she thought, wrong choice of words. She turned to face front again and bumped into an elderly man. Gasping, she dropped her bags in a panic.

"Excuse me," the man told her as he kept walking. Lester pulled the trembling Stephanie close.

"Hey…it's okay, Beautiful," he whispered.

It wasn't okay. For the past hour, she had been having such a great time. She had been completely at ease and had started to feel like herself again. Now, she felt so anxious she thought that she might have a panic attack. Stephanie really just wanted Lester to take her home.

Lester wanted her to meet Xylia. For all he had done for her, she couldn't let him down. She tried to concentrate on feeling safe in his embrace. He wouldn't let anything happen to her. Everything was going to be okay, she told herself.

"Sorry," she mumbled.

Lester wiped away the tears with his thumbs. "You're doing good, Beautiful. Stop being so hard on yourself." He dipped his head to plant a kiss on her forehead. Stephanie hugged him tight.

"I'm all right," she sighed. "Let's go meet Xylia."

"Are you sure? If you want to leave, I'll understand."

She shook her head. "No, I can't keep giving in to fear. I can do this."

"I know you can." Lester tousled her hair. She retrieved her bags and took his hand.

A petite, curly haired redhead sat at the counter reading a book. Her head popped up as they entered the store.

"Hi Xylia," Lester greeted her.

Xylia scanned the pair with her bright green eyes. Pausing once to notice the two were holding hands. Stephanie immediately dropped Lester's hand and extended it to Xylia.

"I'm Stephanie," she began. "Lester's been talking non-stop about you. It's really nice to meet you."

Xylia took her hand, but Stephanie didn't feel any warmth from the gesture.

"Nice to meet you, too, Stephanie," Xylia replied. "Did you like the kangaroo?"

"Yes I did! Lester can be really sweet," Stephanie agreed. Her spidey senses screamed that Xylia didn't like her. Then again, could she blame her? She had been hanging all over him. Stephanie wouldn't like some other woman hanging all over Ranger, either. She didn't want to get in between Lester and Xylia. He really seemed taken with her.

"Lester got stuck with me today. I needed to buy maternity clothes, and Carlos, my fiancé, had business meetings today," she lied. "I thought it would give him a chance to see you today."

Lester frowned at Stephanie, but was distracted by the ringing of his phone. "I'm just going to step over here to take this call." He answered it as he sauntered over to the entrance, keeping Stephanie in site.

"We thought you'd like to go to lunch with us today," Stephanie said as she turned her attention back to Xylia.

"That was very thoughtful of you, but I'm the only one here today," she explained. "I can't leave the store." She looked Stephanie up and down. "Lester said that you've been having a rough pregnancy. Is this your first?"

"Yes and yes," Stephanie admitted. "I'm having twins. I had really bad morning sickness in the first trimester, but that has gotten better."

Xylia appeared deep in thought for a moment. "I think I've got something for you. Come here."

Xylia headed back to the Medical section as Stephanie followed her. She quickly glanced back to make sure Lester was still visible. Xylia scanned the shelf till she found what she wanted.

"Here," she said as she handed Stephanie a book. "This is very popular."

"_What To Expect When You're Expecting_?" Stephanie read aloud.

"Yeah, it talks about everything that a woman can go through while pregnant. It's a very popular book. Sells out all the time. My gift to you."

"Thanks, Xylia. But you don't have to do that."

"No, my treat," Xylia insisted. "Any _friend _of Lester's is a friend of mine."

Lester joined them. "That was Ranger, Beautiful. He was just checking up on you. I told him you were doing fine."

"Xylia gave me this book about pregnancy. That was really nice," Stephanie informed him as she held up the book. "But, she can't join us for lunch."

Lester's face fell. Stephanie's heart broke for him. He was so excited about having lunch with her today.

"Why not?" he asked.

"I'm the only one here. I can't leave the store," she explained.

"Well…we can get something and bring it back here," Lester offered.

Xylia shook her head. "Not allowed to have guests eat in here. It's okay. I brought a sandwich. Maybe next time you have to take Stephanie shopping, I'll be able to join the two of you for lunch."

Lester didn't catch the sarcasm, but Stephanie did. She couldn't blame Xylia for being upset. It was definitely an awkward situation.

"You know…I'm really starting to get tired, Lester. Maybe you should just take me home, so I can lie down. We don't have to go to lunch."

"That sounds like a good idea, Lester. Stephanie looks very tired," Xylia agreed.

With obvious disappointment, Lester shrugged his shoulders. His phone rang again, and he stepped to the entrance to take it. Stephanie held her hand out again to Xylia.

"Sorry about lunch. It was really nice meeting you. Thanks again for the book."

"Stay away from Lester, you pregnant whore bitch," Xylia hissed under her breath.

"What?" Her voice was barely audible, but Steph was sure Xylia just called her a bitch.

"Ready to go, Beautiful?" Lester asked.

"I said…thanks for stopping by. Sorry about lunch." Xylia gave her a tight smile.

Lester gave Xylia a peck on the cheek before taking Stephanie's hand. "I'll make it up to you. What time are you working 'til?"

"I'm here until 6."

"How about we grab some dinner together?"

"I'd really like that, Lester. Talk to you later. _Goodbye_, Stephanie."

Stephanie knew she was being dismissed. Lester gave Xylia another quick kiss before they left.

"So…what did you think of her?" Lester inquired as soon as they left the store.

"She's very nice, Lester." What was she going to say? She didn't really get a chance to talk to her and get to know her. But, Stephanie got a bad vibe. It probably wasn't fair because it was obvious that Xylia was jealous. What was there to be jealous about? Some other man's pregnant fiancée? Xylia looked sweet and innocent, but she had a gut feeling that looks were deceiving.

"And?"

"Well…." Stephanie stammered. "We really didn't get a chance to talk, but she seems very nice. She's definitely different from the other women you've been with."

"That's for sure," Lester agreed. "I'm glad you like her, Beautiful. I can't stop thinking about her. She could be the one."

"One what?"

"The one that I want to marry," he explained.

Stephanie almost tripped over her own two feet. "Marry? You?"

Lester's olive skin became a bit pinkish. "Well…yeah. What's wrong with that? We never thought Ranger would ever…" He trailed off.

Stephanie frowned. "Never thought Ranger would what?"

"Uh…you know…um…._you_." He shrugged. "He's in a relationship, and he's happy about it. He's head over heels, crazy in love with you. We never thought he was that type."

Stephanie sighed. "I get it. You should have a chance to have that too, Lester." But I don't think you're going to find that with Xylia, she added to herself.

Lester took all of the shopping bags and placed them in the back of the SUV while Steph hopped in the passenger seat. "Thanks for today, Lester. I'm sorry we couldn't have lunch with Xylia. But at least for a while, I was able to feel like myself again."

"You're welcome, Beautiful."

After Lester helped carry her bags upstairs, Stephanie called Ranger. He was finishing up with the rest of Rasmussen's properties and would be back later. As she was rummaging through the fridge, Ella and Ivy entered the apartment.

"How did you make out?" she asked. Then she noticed Stephanie looking for something to eat. "Let me get you something."

"Ella, I can handle getting myself lunch," Stephanie laughed. "And, I made out pretty well. Thank you for that special dinner last night. It was delicious as usual. Carlos and I had a very nice time."

Ella smiled. "I was so happy to do it, Stephanie. You both needed some time alone."

Before Stephanie could argue, Ella whipped up a turkey sandwich, potato salad, and chocolate chip cookies. She put the tray on the coffee table in the living room. Stephanie munched while Ella looked through the bags.

"Oh…these are nice, honey."

Stephanie swallowed. "_Linda_ said the color blocking would help to hide my fat stomach." Ella raised her eyebrows. "Linda was the sales girl at Motherhood Maternity. She had a little attitude problem but really seemed to love Lester."

"I can't wait to see how adorable you will look in these clothes," Ella added. "How did you do with being out and about today?"

"It felt good. I was really scared at times, but Lester was right there for me." She paused to take in a forkful of potato salad. "I thought I was going to freak out when some old man accidently bumped into me. But, I did it."

Ella hugged her and kissed the top of her head. "I knew you could, Stephanie."

"And…I got to meet Lester's new girlfriend," she told her.

"You don't like her," Ella sighed. Stephanie shrugged.

"We didn't really get a chance to talk. She gave me this book." Stephanie pulled it out and showed it to Ella. "But…I don't know. I just got the impression that she didn't like me."

Ella looked through the book. "What did she do or say that made you think that?"

"I think she called me a bitch," Stephanie insisted. Ella almost dropped the book.

"What?" Ella gasped.

"Lester went to take a call. She muttered something that sounded like 'you pregnant bitch' or something. When I asked her what she said, Lester had just come back over to us. She said something like…'Thanks for stopping by and sorry about lunch'. We asked her to go to lunch with us, but she was the only one in the store. I told Lester I was tired and that he should just take me home. She seemed to be happy that we weren't going to lunch. I tried to make it seem like Lester got stuck with me because Carlos had a meeting."

"Lester is really crazy about this girl," Ella agreed.

"He said he thinks she's…," Stephanie motioned her fingers like quotation marks, "…'the one'." She rubbed her eyes with the heels of her hands. "As long as Xylia treats him well, that is all that matters. She doesn't have to like me." Yeah, now she just had to get herself to believe that one.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

Ranger felt ecstatic that Stephanie wanted to sit in with the interviews for the distraction girl. Tank lined up three interviews for that morning and a few more the next day. He let Stephanie review their resumes last night while he looked over her new clothes.

To use the expression _day and night_ would have been an understatement. He had been leery of pushing Stephanie because she did need time to deal with what had happened. But, he had never seen Stephanie so fearful. Timid would never have been an adjective he would use to describe her. Now, he was glad he went with his gut instinct and dragged her to the shore house. Lester filled him in on their shopping trip. Ranger's heart filled with pride because she refused to give into her fear. His Stephanie was slowly coming back to life.

Ranger peered over the top of his newspaper to take in Stephanie's new outfit. Ella brought up the altered cargo pants last night. She looked spectacular in her new maternity clothes. She chose to wear the black and white top with her cargo pants.

"Well?" She slowly spun around for him to see. "Does this look okay?"

Grinning, he replied, "Beautiful as always, Babe."

She ran her hands over her belly as she shuffled to the table. "The shirt's a little big right now, but I'm sure I'll outgrow it soon enough."

He watched as she dug into her pancakes. "You're not fat, you're pregnant. You'll lose the weight after you have the babies."

"I'm going to be a whale," she sighed. "What if I don't lose the weight?"

"You will. Believe me, Babe, I'll get you back in shape," Ranger joked. "Besides, I like Shamu." The words barely left his mouth, and he immediately knew he said the wrong thing.

Stephanie straightened up in her seat. "You think I look like Shamu?"

"Uh…no…I…you said whale, and I thought of Shamu. Shamu is a whale," he stammered.

Stephanie glanced down at her shirt. The front was white and the back and short sleeves were black. Kind of like Shamu. Shit.

"Babe, you look amazing," Ranger insisted. Stephanie pushed back from the table. "Where are you going?"

"I'm going to change out of this damn _Shamu_ shirt."

Ranger grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her into his lap. "You look fine. I didn't mean it the way it sounded."

She tugged at her shirt. "This shirt is black and white just like Shamu. I look like friggin' Shamu!"

"You don't look like Shamu," he sighed as he hugged her tight. "But you might want to cut back on the whale references." She rolled her eyes. "Finish up your breakfast so we can get going."

"Carlos, I need you to be honest with me," she begged. "Do I look like Shamu in this shirt?"

"No. It's just a black and white shirt, Babe. You look fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, now please finish eating."

She slid off his lap and plopped back in her seat. Ranger sipped his coffee as he watched her attack her food with her usual gusto. He casually pretended to check his text messages so he could send an urgent group message…._No Shamu Jokes._

Ella had just finished setting up the refreshments in the conference room for that morning's interviews when Ranger and Stephanie arrived. Val placed copies of the candidates' resumes at each seat with the assistance of Hal. Ram and Woody arrived seconds later.

"Oh my God, Steph," Val gushed. "I love that top. It looks great on you."

Stephanie rubbed her belly as she looked down at the shirt. "You think?"

"Holy crap," Ram muttered. Ranger shot him an evil look.

"W-what's wrong?" Steph asked him.

Ram stiffened when he realized he made her self-conscious. "Uh…nothing, Bomber. It's just….uh…your stomach." He pointed to her belly and smiled. "I mean that you're starting to show."

"I'm starting to get fat you mean," she whined.

"That's _not_ what I mean," Ram insisted. He reached for her stomach. "Um…can I….?"

Stephanie nodded. Ram rubbed her belly and grinned at Ranger.

"We should start rubbing her stomach for luck every day," Woody joked.

"That's cool," Ram told her finally. "Can you feel them moving around in there yet?"

Stephanie shook her head. "Not yet, but I'll let you know."

Tank, Lester, and Bobby finally arrived. They helped themselves to the coffee, tea, and pastries before getting settled. Some of them glanced at the file in front of them.

"Good to have you back here, Bombshell," Tank told her. "It wasn't the same here without you. You know how boring the boss can be."

Stephanie glanced at Ranger and giggled. "Well, I thought I would try to start working part time…to break up the monotony for you guys."

Val poked her head in the room and announced, "The first candidate is here, Cathy Pearson, are you ready for her?" Ranger gave her a slight nod.

Cathy Pearson was a thirty-two year old, divorced mother of two. She worked full time at the A&P but was looking for extra work. Cathy's hips barely cleared the door frame as she entered the room. Her thighs swished as the polyester pants rubbed together. Her dyed red hair glowed from the over head fluorescent lights.

Ranger shot Tank a sideways glance. This woman did not resemble the woman in the picture. Tank just shrugged. He rose from his seat to greet her. "Good morning, Ms. Pearson. I'm Carlos Manoso. This is Stephanie, Tank, Lester, Bobby, Hal, Ram, and Woody."

"Hello everyone," she told them. "I'm so excited about this job. Does it pay well? I have 2 kids to feed. Do you pay for my clothes and shoes? I would think you would have to if it's required. Oh…_food_!" Cathy bustled over to the refreshments and began to pile pastries and bagels on a plate.

"Uh…by all means," Ranger offered. "Help yourself."

The only thing that helped Ranger fight the urge to thunk his head on the table was Stephanie's giggle. Normally, he would have had someone escort this undesirable out the front door by now. Hearing Stephanie's laugh and seeing the smile on her face made this waste of time acceptable.

Cathy dropped two plates in front of the empty seat and hurried back to the buffet to get her bottles of juice.

Lester leaned over and whispered into Stephanie's ear. "I've never seen anyone able to out eat you, Beautiful." Stephanie smirked.

Cathy crammed a cherry cheesecake pastry into her mouth. Without taking the time to finish swallowing, she opened her trap to speak. "So…tell me about this job." A huge cherry fell from her lips and bounced off her right breast. It landed on Ranger's forearm. His eyes narrowed, and his upper lip slightly curled. Before he could remove the offending fruit, Cathy snatched it back and popped it into her mouth.

Once again, Ranger's disgust almost forced him to end this charade, but Stephanie's audible snort changed him mind. She clapped her left hand over her mouth to attempt to hold back the laughter. It had been a long time since he'd seen her laugh this hard. Tank's elbow to his ribs let Ranger know that he also enjoyed seeing Stephanie having a little fun for a change.

"Part of the function of Rangeman is to bring in fugitives. They fail to show up for their court dates. We bring them in, so the bail bondsman doesn't lose his investment. The candidate for this job will help to distract the FTA, so we can capture him without creating a scene or anyone getting hurt," Ranger explained.

Cathy finished her second bagel. With cream cheese adorning her top lip, she shoveled another pastry into her mouth. "So…" she began. This time, she sprayed blueberry filling on Ranger's chin. "How the hell am I supposed to distract him?"

Without saying a word, Ranger reached into his back pocket to retrieve a bandana. He slowly wiped the food tinged spittle off his chin. Before he could reply, Tank cleared his throat and opened the file in front of him.

"I have a question for you," Tank said. He pulled out a four by six photo. "We asked for a recent photo. This doesn't….um…look…_recent._"

Cathy guzzled her juice, pressed a fist to her chest, then belched. "It was the most recent picture I had. After I had my 2 kids, I gained a little weight. I don't like having my picture taken now. It's not my fault. Having kids makes you fat," she insisted.

The photo told another story. She gained a lot more than a little weight. She had doubled in size. Quite possibly tripled. Ranger didn't even have to look at Stephanie to know that the smile vanished from her face. What started as an amusing interview just turned south in a hell of a hurry.

"I don't think having kids was your problem," Hal told her. "You've eaten approximately 2300 calories in the last 15 minutes. And that's not counting what you spit on the boss."

God bless you, Hal, Ranger thought. Hal worked for him for about a year now. Yeah, he was naïve and could be a little goofy at times, but Hal surprised Ranger all the time. Ranger's respect for him continued to grow.

"Ms. Pearson," Ranger began slowly as he rose from his chair," I don't think this job would be a good fit for you. Thank you for coming. Someone will show you out."

Cathy sadly looked around the room then nodded. "Can I take the rest of this with me?" She gestured to her plates.

"Yes," Ranger sighed. "Hal? Would you show Ms. Pearson out?"

Hal snapped to attention. "Yes sir! This way please." Hal swept his arm towards the door.

Cathy grabbed her plates and swished her way towards Hal. She lost her grip on one of her plates and attempted to straighten it. The last cherry pastry flipped and landed on Ram's neck.

"What the fff…," Ram groaned.

"Sorry," Cathy told him as she peeled the pastry from his neck. She loaded it back on her plate. "Uh…do you have a doggie bag?"

"No," Ranger told her flatly. "Hal?"

Hal nodded. "Come on, Ms. Pearson. We have to go."

Cathy rearranged her plates and continued towards the door. But before she left the room, a loud, trumpetous blast burst from her huge polyester clad behind. "Whoops!"

"Damn," Hal whined under his breath. He waved a hand in front of his face. Almost gagging, he took Cathy by the arm and led her outside.

Ram headed for the restroom to wash the back of his neck. "Christ," he groaned as he got closer to the doorway. "What the hell did that lady eat?"

"Probably everything but my sister's ass," Bobby muttered as he got a whiff.

"Leave the door open, man," Woody agreed as he fanned his file.

Ranger pinched the bridge of his nose and squeezed his eyes shut. "Did you get these people off Craigslist again?" Tank just shook his head. He felt Stephanie's hand cover his and threaded his fingers through hers. "So….how did you think that went, Babe?"

"Well…," Stephanie replied, "she would definitely _cause_ a distraction, that's for sure."

Ranger finally looked at Stephanie. Her smile had slipped a notch from Cathy's baby weight comment. Even though Hal pointed out that it wasn't child birth that caused her weight gain, Stephanie's brain refused to accept that part.

"Don't listen to what she said," Ranger whispered to her. "She was just plain…_gross_, Babe. She spit food in my face." Relief washed over him as her smile returned.

"And…she left with a bang," Lester added.

"Just please tell me that I don't look like that when I eat," she begged.

"Not even close, Beautiful," Lester said.

"Good," Stephanie sighed. "'Cause we're hungry." She pushed back from the table and shuffled over to the food.

While she made her plate, the next candidate arrived. Ranger made a mental note to delegate the recruiting to someone else. Where the hell did Tank find these women?

Sally Smith stood about five feet four inches tall…and maybe about six inches wide. How this young woman had any strength to hold herself up defied the laws of physics. Before Ranger could greet her and introduce her to the group, she immediately converged on Stephanie.

"Oh my God! Do you work at Sea World?" she asked her enthusiastically. "That outfit is soooo cute! I love Shamu."

Stephanie shot Ranger a death glare and dropped her plate on the buffet. Damn Shamu shirt!

"Next," Ranger told Hal.

Hal immediately caught on and escorted Sally out quickly.

"At least this one didn't blow ass," Woody grumbled.

"Maybe the wind bag should have given this one her food," Bobby joked. "She looked like she hadn't eaten all year."

Ranger noticed Stephanie still standing with hands on hips by the buffet as the annoyance radiated off her body. She needed something to do to take her mind off that stupid shirt. "Babe? Could you please bring me the Rasmussen file? It's in the right hand drawer."

Dropping her arms at her sides with a huff, she nodded and headed for his office.

"I guess Steph has something against Shamu," Tank mused. "Now I get the text you sent out today."

"No _whale_ jokes. No _fat_ jokes. No _Shamu_ jokes. Keep in mind…if Stephanie is not happy, then I am not happy. Which means…_none_ of you will be happy. Understood?"

"Yes, sir!" came the collective response.

Bobby grabbed a bottle of water and sat back down. "So Les…how did Xylia take being blown off last night?"

Lester shrugged. "Okay, I guess. We're still going out Saturday."

Rangeman had to respond to an alarm at a storage facility. Unfortunately, Lester had to cancel their dinner date.

"Why didn't you just meet her later?" Bobby prodded.

"She already had plans. Something with her church group," Lester explained.

"Are you going out with the Church Lady?" Ram joked. A ripple of laughter filled the room.

"At least my girl isn't rubber and has a mouth like this!" Lester opened his mouth to form a large 'O'. More snickers.

"I'll bet I'll get more action with the rubber lady than you will with the Church lady," Ram challenged.

"You tools can joke all you want. I know what I got. Steph met her yesterday, and they really hit it off. Don't get a friction burn, Ram."

"Knock it off," Tank warned. The last candidate entered the conference room.

Stephanie rooted around the drawer until she found the file Ranger wanted. She accidently picked up another file with it. When she tried to slide the file back inside the drawer, a single paper slipped out and floated to the floor. She set the files on the desk and bent down to retrieve the paper. She had no interest in the contents of the document until she saw her name. It was a lab report from St Peter's Hospital. Her urine toxicology results confirmed that she tested positive for ipecac. Ipecac?

Stephanie dropped on to Ranger's chair and brought up Google on his computer. She quickly clicked on Wikipedia and read the information. Causes vomiting? Uterine stimulation? It slowly began to dawn on her that someone intentionally gave her the ipecac, and that someone was _Camel Toe_! Her blood began to boil and her hands to shake. That collagen-lipped bitch tried to poison her! Not only did it make her so sick and scared, but she made a complete fool of herself on the sidewalk of that hotel. And Ranger _kept_ this from her!

All this time, he had been promising her that he would tell her the truth and stop hiding things from her. But…she would deal with him later. Right now, she wanted to take care of Camel Toe. And she knew just who to call. She grabbed the phone's receiver and punched in the numbers.

"Lula," Steph barked into the phone after Lula answered, "I need you to come and pick me up right now. I need to kick someone's ass around the moon, and I want your help!"

"Hell yeah, Skinny White Girl," Lula responded. "I'll be right there. Pick you up out front."

The next candidate had already arrived, and they started the interview without Stephanie. She swung the door open with such force they all jumped when it smacked the wall. Ranger raised an eyebrow.

"When were you going to tell me about this, Carlos?" she demanded.

He couldn't read the writing on the sheet of paper that she frantically waved around. He noticed _St Peter's Hospital_ when she finally held it still. Oh shit, he thought, this was not going to be good.

"I…" he started, but she cut him off.

"That bitch _poisons_ me, and you don't even tell me?"

The heads swung side to side, like spectators at a tennis match, to watch the fight.

"Babe…we don't know for sure…"

"Who _else_ would have done this?"

"I…."

"I thought you weren't going to hide things from me anymore?"

"I wasn't hiding it from you…"

"We will discuss this later. Right now…I have someone's ass to kick!" She whirled around and left the room.

"She's bah-ack," Tank sing-songed.

Ranger smiled. Yeah, Stephanie was back. A hornet's nest that someone poked with a stick came to mind. The urge to run after her arose, but he had to let her go. If he had known that pissing her off would have pulled her out of her funk, he would have aggravated her a lot sooner.

"Should I have someone follow her?" Tank asked him.

Ranger shook his head. "If she calls and asks for help, then send someone. Just track whatever vehicle she takes."

"Um…can we get back to the interview?" the last candidate asked. "I have an appointment for a follow up from my sex change operation in 30 minutes."

Ranger sighed as he rubbed his temples. When Stephanie got back from beating the shit out of Miss Toe, he would have her beat the shit out of Tank. Where the hell did he find these freaks?


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Stephanie waited until she spied the red Firebird as it turned the corner before she stepped outside. The thumping bass rattled the glass in the lobby door. The passenger window lowered as Steph approached the car.

"I'm glad you called, Skinny White Girl," Lula called out to her. "I'm in the mood to kick someone's ass today."

Stephanie pulled open the door, slid inside, and slammed it closed. She lowered the radio before fastening her seatbelt.

"Aunt Flo came to town, and I'm bleedin' like a stuck pig. I'm not in the mood to bounty hunt today 'cause I feel bloated and crampy. After we kick ass, I'm gonna need some comfort food," Lula explained.

"PMS?" Stephanie mused. "Hmmm…that will work. This bitch doesn't stand a chance against 2 hormonal women."

"Whose ass we beatin' on?" Lula asked as she pulled away from the curb. "And where we goin'?"

"The Hilton in New Brunswick," Stephanie told her. "Do you remember when I got sick at that awards dinner?"

Lula nodded. "Yeah. You was pukin' your guts up all over the place. It was just like that Linda Blairs in the Exorcist."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Well, I just found out that bitch spiked my Pepsi with ipecac to make me throw up. She interviewed with us just before that to do distractions. Oh my God, Lula…she's a _law_ student and came dressed in a tee shirt and pants that were so tight she had a camel toe. So that's what I call her…Camel Toe."

"Damn…don't people know how to dress to fit their figures? I don't know what's wrong with some people these days!" Lula added. "People just don't look good like we do."

"She looks like she gets collagen injections in her fake, fat lips," Stephanie went on. "And…they're about to get _fatter_ when I get through with her."

"Now you talkin'!" Lula egged Stephanie on.

She looked over Stephanie's outfit. "That's a cute shirt…it kind of reminds me of…"

"Yeah...yeah…I know. Shamu, right?"

Lula frowned. "Well, now that you mention it, it does look like Shamu. But, I was gonna say a panda bear. I like it."

Stephanie reexamined her shirt. She could handle the panda bear look. Pandas were cute. "I had some tooth pick ask me if I worked at Sea World today. She was like _this_ big." She stuck up her index finger. "We had interviews for a distraction girl today. And the lady before her spit food on Carlos." She snorted. "That was kind of funny."

"Does that job pay well?" Lula wondered.

"Yeah, pretty good. The distraction team would split 50% of the bond. Rangeman would get the other half. Depending on how dangerous the FTA was, I would get anywhere from 15-20% of the take. I don't know how much the new person would get, but I'm sure it would be at least 10%. Why?"

"Well, you know how bounty huntin' is. I can't always depend on the money bein' steady. I'm lookin' for some part time work to help me pay for school. I signed up for classes in the fall. I want to better myself and am goin' to get me an education," Lula explained.

Stephanie's eyes widened. "Lula! That's awesome. Going back to school to get a college degree will really help you to get ahead."

Lula shrugged. "It's not for college. I'm goin' back to get my high school diploma. I had to quit school when I was 14. I don't want no GED. I want to get the real thing. I want to be able to say '_I finished high school_'. Then I can go to college like you did. I did what I had to do to survive. I didn't know no better. I want people to be proud of me."

Tears welled in Stephanie's eyes. Yeah, she had issues with her parents. But, she never had to resort to prostitution just to survive. Lula truly was an amazing woman. And why wouldn't she be able to handle the distraction job? She couldn't be any worse than the freak parade they saw today. She knew that if she insisted…or cried, Ranger would weaken and give Lula a chance.

"You know what? After we kick Camel Toe's ass, we're going to go shopping to get you a nice business suit. Tank set up more interviews for tomorrow morning. You're going to come in there looking and acting professional and blow them away."

Lula brightened. "You think so? I know I can handle any man that you throw at me. I can do this job. Just you wait and see!"

"Does Tank know that you want to go to school?"

Lula shook her head. "I haven't told him yet. I wasn't sure if I was gonna. I mean, I know he would support me and all. But, I was thinkin' that I would surprise him when I graduate. I don't know yet."

"I'm really proud of you, Lula," Stephanie told her. "We all make mistakes or poor choices at some point in our lives. Some people just choose to wallow in it. It takes a strong person to do something about changing what is wrong."

"I'm not ashamed of myself. I want to be the best _Lula_ I can be. Especially now that I got me a decent man in my life. I want him to be proud of me, too." Lula sniffed back tears of her own. "Now let's quit all this sentimental shit and go kick that bitch's ass!"

Tank found Ranger staring at Stephanie's toxicology report. He shut down after she stormed out of the interviews. Tank cleared his throat to get Ranger's attention.

"You okay?"

Ranger nodded.

"You don't seem like it to me," Tank told him as he eased himself into the chair opposite the desk.

"I'm glad that Stephanie left the building on her own. She's working hard to get over her fear. But…" Ranger took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. "I don't know where she is, and I don't like it. She was hurt and in trouble the last time," He rubbed his face with both hands. "I guess it's bringing back some bad memories."

"Why don't you just call her?"

"I can't. She left without her phone…or her bag," Ranger explained.

Tank knew Ranger better than anyone. Lack of control was a major issue for him. Especially when it came to a certain blue-eyed blonde. He pulled out his cell phone and called Lula.

"Hey Lula…can I talk to Stephanie? Thanks….Hey Bombshell. Someone wants to talk to you."

Ranger raised one eye brow. Tank just smirked, then handed him the phone.

"Babe?"

"Carlos? What's wrong?" Stephanie asked.

"I just wanted to make sure you were all right," he began.

"Don't try to talk me out of this, Carlos," she warned.

"I'm not. You forgot your phone. Just call me if you need anything. Or if you get nervous…or arrested." The audible snort let him know that their upcoming discussion of the lab report wouldn't be as bad as he expected.

"I will. But don't think you're completely off the hook now. We're still going to talk about this when I get home. It might behoove you to have chocolate cake available to me. Things might just go very well for you," she said.

"Thanks for the tip, Babe. See you later." Ranger disconnected the call and handed the phone back to Tank. "Thanks."

"I figured I owe you one because of the pig that spit food on you," Tank informed him. "I guess I need to stop using Craig's List, huh?"

Ranger smirked. "I guess we're even. You owed me an ass kicking from the Swear Jar. If tomorrow's candidates are worse than today's, I will get to kick your ass."

Tank began to sweat. "Oh…I forgot to tell you that I'm taking a vacation day tomorrow."

"Oh _hell_ no," Ranger warned. "You're sitting next to them tomorrow. I'll be behind a glass shield." They both laughed. "But if it makes Stephanie laugh again, I don't care what these freaks are like. I'd let one of them gork up a hairball on me to see her face light up like that again."

"It was good to hear her laugh again," Tank agreed. "I was getting really worried about her there for a while. And…I kind of missed having her around, too. I know Lula did."

Ranger leaned back and placed his hands behind his head. "How are things going with you and Lula?"

Tank beamed. "Good. She's a special lady. Actually, we're a lot alike. Been judged on appearances. She sees me for who I am inside. Lula's been through a lot in her life, but she still has a good heart. She makes me happy."

"I can see that." Ranger looked as his watch and sighed. "I have to meet with Hunter in 15 minutes. I'll talk to you later."

Lula pulled into the parking deck across the street from the Hilton. "Uh…how do we know if she is working today?"

Stephanie bit her lower lip. She hadn't thought of that. Anger sort of clouded her judgment, so she really didn't think this through. Sometimes figuring things out as she went along might not always the best idea. Then it hit her.

"Let me borrow your phone, Lula," Stephanie asked. "I'll call and ask for her."

Lula looked up the number then handed over her phone.

"New Brunswick Hilton."

"Ah…yes…" Stephanie stammered with a bad half Italian and half Hungarian accent. "Uh…bonjiorno…um…" Stephanie was cut off by an exaggerated sigh.

"I haven't got all day, Ma'am. What can I do for you?" came a snippy reply.

"Oh…so sorry…who dis?" Stephanie was pretty sure Camel Toe had answered the phone. Obnoxious bitch!

"This is Camilla. Is there something I can do for you, or are you planning on wasting my time some more?" Considering this woman had no sense of fashion, it wasn't surprising that she lacked in the customer service area as well.

"Ees dis da Hyatt?" Stephanie taunted.

"No. Apparently, English is your second language. I said this was the Hilton….." Taking a lesson from Ranger's communications skills, Stephanie disconnected and cut her off.

"That bitch is working the front desk. It's time for her to _check out_!"

Stephanie and Lula scurried across the street and entered the hotel through the revolving door. Camel Toe immediately noticed them. She took in Stephanie's black and white outfit and Lula's brown one.

"Well, well, well," she sneered. "If it isn't Shamu….and her _friend_…Fudgy the Whale." She smiled at her own quick wit. "Is there an aquatic mammal convention in town? Or are you coming from the all-you-can-eat buffet?"

Lula fumed. "Fudgy the _Fuckin'_ Whale?" She turned to Stephanie. "White Girl, you gotta let me get in a swing."

"I hope you're not going to attack the staff with your bodily functions again…are you?" Camel Toe crossed her arms and gave them a smug look. "It took them hours to hose the sidewalk down after you left."

"Why not at all, Camel Toe," Stephanie told her sweetly.

Before Camel Toe could react, Stephanie rounded the counter with a left hook that connected with her nose and upper lip. Camel Toe crashed into a potted plant that toppled over spilling the soil on her blouse. The large palms of the tree partially hid her crumpled body.

"Damn, White Girl," Lula exclaimed. "That was one helluva shot!"

Stephanie readied herself for more, but Camel Toe was out cold. After a few seconds, she lowered her guard and turned to Lula.

"That felt pretty good."

Lula sidled up to Stephanie as they both looked at Camel Toe's inert form. Blood trickled from her swelling nose.

"I see what you mean," Lula began. "Damn that looks uncomfortable." She pointed to her groin. "Camel Toe was kinda being nice. That's more like a moose knuckle."

Stephanie frowned. "I thought moose knuckle was like the guy's version of camel toe."

Lula shrugged. "It's both. Moose knuckle is like a really _bad_ case of camel toe." Lula snapped her fingers. "Hey, I got a great idea. Wait here." Lula hurried to the Ladies' Room across from the front desk. She came back out a few minutes later with a small bag.

"Havin' my periods got me to thinkin'," she told Stephanie as she spilled the contents of the bag on top of Camel Toe. It contained a couple of used napkins and one tampon.

Stephanie gagged. "Oh my God, Lula. That's really gross!"

"Not as gross as you pukin' all over the side walk and on that doorman guy," Lula insisted.

"You're right. This just doesn't seem like enough." She looked around the desk and found a rubber stamp tree. "Here…start stamping."

They quickly covered her with instructional stamps….Received, Paid in Full, Return to Sender, Reject, Damaged…Do Not Use, and Refund. But to Stephanie, it still didn't seem like enough.

"She made me _really_ sick," Stephanie grumbled. "I was scared, too."

"And…she ruined that fine dress you had on. You looked really good in it," Lula agreed. Both of their jaws set tight as they grew deeper in thought.

Lula brightened and began to dig in her bag. She grinned from ear to ear when she found the desired object. Lula pulled out battery operated clippers.

Stephanie grimaced. "I _so_ don't want to know why you are carrying that around."

"Well, I don't _need_ this no more. But in my former…uh…_profession_…there was certain jobs that I would need to trim me some hedges. I hate hairs in my mouth," Lula explained as she clicked on the button. The clippers buzzed to life.

"Give her a reverse Mohawk," Steph suggested after thinking about it. Lula said she wanted a shot at her, and there was no way she was touching those clippers. All the miscellaneous pubes that machine handled filled her mind. She practically gagged at the mere thought!

Lula chuckled as she went about her task. Camel Toe's hair was thick and lush. The floor looked like a bad accident scene at a beauty parlor with her hair strewn about. Lula stepped back and stood next to Stephanie. They took a moment to admire their work.

"I feel like our job is done here. We'd better go before she wakes up," Stephanie said.

"I think you right. Now we can go and get me a fine looking business suit."

With a final double fingered salute, they headed towards the lobby's entrance. "Do I look like Fudgy the Whale?"

Stephanie shook her head. "No…do I look like Shamu?"

"No," Lula decided. "I kinda like that shirt on you. It looks nice." She rubbed Stephanie's belly. "I think you look good pregnant."

"Thanks."

The doorman approached the desk dragging a valet cart piled with luggage. An older couple followed him. He looked around before he tapped the bell on the counter.

"Damn," he muttered under his breath. He turned to Stephanie and Lula. "Have you seen the girl working the front desk?"

"Oh…um…I think she needed to take a break," Stephanie lied. "She became _suddenly_ bruised."

Lula pulled her through the door, and they ran for the car.

"Damn girl! You got me on a high now. Let's go shopping!"

A short drive later, Lula pulled into the parking lot of Macys at Quakerbridge Mall. For the first time that day, Stephanie tensed up.

"You okay, White Girl?"

Stephanie swallowed hard but didn't answer.

"Do you want me to call Ranger?"

Stephanie's eyes widened. "No…please don't call him. I'm a little nervous…that's all."

Lula dug into her purse and pulled out a large gun. "Say hello to my little friend," Lula told her as she waved it around.

They both looked up after hearing the shrieks of two elderly women. The taller one grabbed the other's arm and dragged her towards their car.

"Put that away," Stephanie hissed. "You just scared the shit out of those 2 old ladies!"

"Ah…don't worry about them. She probably got on Depends. She be all right." Lula tucked her gun back inside her bag. "I got your back, Steph. I won't let nothin' happen to you."

Stephanie hung her head. "I'm sorry. I'm trying to work through this." She shrugged her shoulders. "It's getting a little better though. And, I'm starting to feel like my old self again."

"Do you want me to take you back home?"

"No…let's get you a nice suit."

After finding the perfect suit, Lula wanted to hit the Gertrude Hawk store before they left.

"My Tankie loves those chocolate covered pretzel logs. Gertrude Hawks makes the best. He gets real excited like when I give him little surprises…if you know what I mean," Lula explained.

"Lula!" Stephanie begged. "I've told you before…_please_ don't tell me anything sexual about Tank. I'll never be able to look him in the face again!"

"I'm sorry, White Girl," Lula laughed. "I just love seein' you get all bunched up like that. I'll buy you some pretzels, too."

"Hello Stephanie."

Lula and Stephanie turned around to see who spoke. It was Xylia and the snotty salesgirl from Motherhood Maternity, Laura.

"Oh…hi, Xylia," Stephanie replied. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. I'm a little surprised to see you today. Is Lester with you?"

Stephanie looked back and forth between Xylia and Laura. "Uh...no. He's working today. I'm here with my friend Lula. Lula…this is Xylia. She's Lester's…" Stephanie bit her lip. She couldn't bring herself to say girlfriend. They haven't even really been on a date yet. And…she didn't like her. "…friend."

"You like that big goof ball?" Lula exclaimed and winced.

The smile on Xylia's face slipped a notch. "I'm his _girl_friend. We're going to my church's Fish Fry."

Stephanie bit the inside of her cheek to hold back the laughter. Lester? At a church social?

"I'm sure you'll have a great time," Stephanie said finally.

"Have you read your book yet?"

Stephanie internally groaned. She looked at the last chapter. The face of the woman contorted in pain with a head hanging out of her crotch was too much. She was still hoping for the getting knocked out and waking up three days later option. "I glanced through it. I haven't had the time to really read it yet. But thanks again. That was very thoughtful."

Lula sensed the tension between them. And saw the death glare from the other one. "I don't mean to be rude, but we have to get going. It was nice meeting y'all."

They said their curt goodbyes and went their separate ways. Lula waited until they were out of site before she spoke again.

"Who was the other bitch?"

Stephanie sighed. "She works at the maternity store we went to yesterday. Lester took me shopping and introduced me to Xylia. She works at the book store."

"I would say that she don't seem like Lester's type, but I don't even know what Lester's type is," Lula added. "I would think more like someone loose and easy. That one seems like a chastity belt wearin', bible freak."

"I don't think she likes me either," Stephanie agreed. "Let's get those pretzels and then get lunch. We're hungry."

The lunch crowd at the diner had started to thin, so Stephanie and Lula got seated right away. Lula grabbed a menu. Stephanie already knew what she wanted. After a few minutes, they placed their order.

"You really gettin' into that healthy eatin'…ain't you?" Lula remarked about her turkey club order.

Stephanie shrugged. "I've always like their turkey club sandwiches here. Hey, I did order gravy on the side. I still haven't tried a meatball sub yet. It's been a couple weeks since I last got sick, but I don't want to chance it."

Lula looked past Stephanie towards the entrance. "It's Morelli. And he's with a woman!"

Stephanie turned around to see Joe with a woman that looked to be her about his age. Slim and very attractive, dark auburn hair pulled up into a twist, she was professionally dressed in a Jones NY suit. In her heels, she stood almost as tall as Joe. Their body language hinted more than a business lunch. The hostess led them towards the empty booth across from her and Lula.

Joe's face broke into a wide smile when he noticed them. "Hi, Cupcake. It's great to see you." He leaned over and pulled her into a bear hug. "You look great. How are you doing?"

"Getting better every day. How are you doing?"

He nodded to Lula. "I'm good. This is Annemarie. Annemarie…this is Stephanie Plum. I've told you about her. And this is her friend, Lula," Joe explained.

"Hello, Stephanie," Annemarie said as she extended her hand. "It's nice to finally meet you. Joe talks about you all the time."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "None of it's true. Or it wasn't my fault!" she protested.

Annemarie laughed. "No…it was all good. Joe thinks very highly of you."

"Uh…would you like to join us?" Stephanie offered. "Or would you rather be alone?"

"Sure," Joe accepted. He slid in next to Stephanie. Lula scooted over to give Annemarie room.

The waitress brought Stephanie's and Lula's lunch and took Joe's and Annemarie's order. Joe told them that Annemarie was a social worker with the juvenile court system. She had just been assigned to the precinct where Joe worked. They started dating a couple of weeks ago and seemed very happy together.

"Joe tells me that you are expecting twins. You look wonderful," Annemarie told her.

"Thanks. I feel fat." Stephanie rubbed her belly.

Joe glanced down and smirked. He gently placed his hand on the little bump. "I can't believe how big you got from the last time I've seen you!"

Annemarie kicked him under the table. "Joe," she scolded, "you don't ever refer to a woman's weight or size. She looks beautiful."

"You _do_ look beautiful, Cupcake," Joe agreed. "I didn't mean anything by it."

The waitress returned with Joe's and Annemarie's food. The conversation died down as they all dug into their meals.

"I haven't had a chance to tell you. I've applied to the FBI Academy. I take the test in a couple weeks," Joe announced.

Stephanie and Lula raised their eyebrows. "Wow, Joe. The FBI? You used to talk about that as a kid. I didn't know you were still interested in doing that," Stephanie replied.

Joe shrugged. "I missed the cut off after I got out of the Navy, so I just when through the policy academy instead. It wasn't until I worked with the FBI on…" He trailed off and pursed his lips. After taking a slow deep breath, he continued. "When I worked with Durrer and Harris on your case, it made me realize that I still wanted it."

Stephanie squeezed his hand. "And you'll be a great FBI agent, Joe. I don't think I got a chance to thank you for all you did to help find me. It's been a little…_rough_ these past few weeks."

"You went through a lot, White Girl. We understand. We all just happy to have you back. Especially me. Who else am I goin' to get in trouble with?" Lula empathized.

"I've been so afraid lately. I've been pushing myself to get over it and move on." She paused to sip her ice tea. "But…I'm getting better." She gave a weak smile. "Can you let me out? I need to use the bathroom."

Joe nodded and stood up to let her pass. Stephanie headed to the back of the diner to the restrooms.

"How was she today?" Joe asked Lula.

"Okay for most of the day. She punched out that bitch who gave her that pukin' poison. Then we went shoppin'. She did get a little nervous 'til I showed her my little friend," Lula explained.

Joe frowned. "What little friend?"

"This one." Lula reached in her bag and pulled out her gun. Annemarie gasped. Joe lunged over the table, grabbed Lula's wrist, and shoved the gun back in her bag.

"Jesus!" he grunted. "Keep that thing in your bag. I don't want to see it. Shit…I don't even want to know about it."

Lula looked sheepish. "Damn, Morelli. You actin' like those 2 old ladies at the mall. I would be expectin' a cop to not shit hisself when he sees a gun. Maybe you better start wearin' Depends!"


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Joe insisted that Stephanie call him to set up a night, so they could all go out together. Sounded like a great idea. She needed to get out more anyway. It would only help her to feel normal again. Annemarie seemed really nice, and Joe appeared to be very taken with her. Hopefully things would work out for them. She wanted Joe to be happy. Especially after his shocking confession of his desire to be married and have a family of his own. But if Joe was going off to the FBI Academy in the fall, it might make things hard for them. She knew all too well the difficulty of being away from Ranger this past winter.

Stephanie made Lula swear on her Firebird that she arrive by 8:30 A.M. for her interview. Lula promised she would. She dropped Stephanie back at Rangeman then headed straight to her hairdresser's place. She needed to look her best.

She stopped on 5. Tank informed her that Ranger headed up to 7. "Is he mad at me, Tank?"

Tank shook his head. "Nah…just worried is all," Tank told her gently. "Do me a favor next time…just let him know where you are. And make sure you have your phone with you at all times. He just…." Tank paused to search for the right words.

"He just _what_, Tank?" Stephanie urged.

"Just like you are trying to deal with what happened…so is he. He doesn't like it when he's not in control. And he sure as hell doesn't like not knowing where you are. With your history, he has _reason_ to worry."

Stephanie nodded. "I didn't think about that. I was just _so_ mad at Camel Toe. And, I was mad at Carlos for not telling me. I…I just wasn't thinking straight at all. But you're right, Tank. That wasn't fair to him. I'll go easy on him. Promise."

Tank leaned down and kissed her forehead. "Thanks, Bombshell." He reached for her left hand and examined the black and blue knuckles. "I hope you got the bitch good at least."

Stephanie giggled. "Yeah…we did. Um…do you have a copy of the profiles and resumes for the interviews tomorrow?"

Tank's face brightened. "You joining us for the interviews?"

Stephanie grinned. "I wouldn't miss it. Maybe someone else will spit food on Carlos again!" They both burst out laughing. Tank ducked back into his office to grab an extra file.

"Here ya go, Bombshell. See you in the morning."

"Thanks, Tank."

Stephanie thought about what to say to Ranger on the ride up to 7. She told herself that she would to listen to what he had to say. Even if she had to force herself, she would stay calm, cool, and collected. But, he still needed to know how wrong it was not to tell her. She knew Ranger had certain things he couldn't talk about. That she understood. Things that pertained _to_ her were _her_ business. She refused to compromise on those types of situations.

"Carlos?" she called to him. A soft glow filtered through the foyer from the living room. She rounded the corner and dropped her jaw at the site before her.

A bare-chested Ranger lounged on the leather couch with an open book blocking the rest of her view. He looked up and smiled.

"Have a nice day, Babe?"

As she drew closer, she realized he was reading her book, _What To Expect When You're Expecting._ Then she noticed his long bare legs stretched out in front of him. She tossed the file on the coffee table.

"Why are you reading this book?"

A sly smile spread across his face. "There's a lot of good information in here."

"I don't want you reading this," she ordered him.

"Why not?"

"Because I don't want you knowing more about what's going on in my body that I do. If I catch you reading this again, you'll be reading _What To Expect When My Fiancée Catches Me Reading This Again And It's Won't Be Pretty_. But first, we have to talk about why you didn't tell me about that lab report!"

Stephanie yanked the book from his hands and revealed his naked body. A few seconds passed before she realized the whimpering came from her. Her mouth flapped like a fish until the words finally found their way out. She pointed to his groin.

"You're naked!"

"Yes."

"Y-you're trying to distract me!"

"Yes." Ranger's wolfish grin appeared. He watched her eyes rake over his body as she licked her lips. "Is it working?"

"Uh huh."

Ranger stood up and pulled her to him. His lips found hers as his hands wandered to her behind. He ground his forming erection into her firm belly. As he lifted her to his waist, she wrapped her legs around him. He carried her to the bedroom so he could distract her some more.

Stephanie rolled onto her back and lay still while she panted. Their bodies glistened from the frantic encounter. Ranger surprised her by pulling away and getting out of bed. Her body protested at the loss of his warmth.

"Where are you going?" she whined.

He didn't stop but looked back at her over his shoulder. "Hang on…I'll be right back."

True to his word, he returned a few seconds later with a huge piece of chocolate cake. She took in the most beautiful site in the world and licked her lips again. A naked Ranger with Ella's chocolate cake. She scooted back against the pillows while drawing the sheet with her to cover her own naked body. Ranger slid in next to her. He loaded up the fork with the chocolaty goodness and fed her a piece.

"Mmmmm," Stephanie moaned. "You really are trying to distract me."

Ranger shrugged as he readied her next bite. "Worked for you at the beach house. Thought I'd give it a try." He watched as her body began to turn light pink, but she opened her mouth for more.

"We got that toxicology report from Beth Barnwell. You were still missing, so it was the last thing on my mind at the time," he began.

Stephanie motioned for him to continue and that she was ready for her next bite.

"Then you were so…." Ranger paused to search for the right word. "…overwhelmed with everything. I just didn't want to add that final straw, Babe. I was afraid you might crack."

"Go on."

He fed her more cake. "I _was_ going to tell you. That's the truth. But first, I wanted to confirm that Miss Toe did it."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "You _know_ she did it, Carlos. Who else would have done that?"

"I _know_ she did it, but we don't have _proof _that she did it. That was serious shit, Babe. It was a criminal act. People go to jail for intentionally poisoning someone. You could have lost the twins. I wanted to make sure we did everything right."

"That explains why you didn't tell me at first, but doesn't explain why you still kept that from me," Stephanie added. Then she opened her mouth for another bite.

Ranger fed her and gave her a sad smile. "Well…I sort of forgot about it." Stephanie rolled her eyes. "You had me really worried there, Stephanie. I knew you needed time to process your ordeal, but you weren't getting better. I didn't know how to help you. I got so focused on you that I forgot all about it. That's the God's honest truth. If I had known that letting you punch her in the face, dump feminine trash on her, stamp her body, and shave half her head would pull you out of your funk, I would have told you sooner."

A slow smile spread across his face, and her jaw dropped her chin to her chest. "Do I even want to know why Lula carries around a pair of clippers?"

"H-h-how did you know that?" she stammered. His ESP was getting stronger and stronger all the time.

"One of Rangeman's contract employees works as a security guard there. He e-mailed me a copy of the video and deleted the original," Ranger told her with his smile still in place. He picked up her left hand and placed gentle kisses on her colorful knuckles. "Proud of you, Babe. Not because you beat the crap out of Miss Toe. I'm proud of you because you're facing your fears. You're not letting fear keep you down. That takes a lot of strength and heart. You never cease to amaze me. I guess that's why I love you so much."

"Thank you, Carlos. First…for loving me so much. And for being honest with me. I understand why you didn't tell me. And…thanks for being human."

Ranger raised an eyebrow. "You don't think I'm human?"

"Well…you're always so perfect. You _never_ make mistakes. Me…I screw up all the time. It makes me feel better knowing that you make mistakes, too. I don't want to keep disappointing you," she told him lowering her voice to a whisper.

Ranger smirked. "One thing you never do is disappoint, Babe. I am human. A perfectionist? Maybe. But, I'm far from perfect. I don't expect you to be perfect either. I just want you to be yourself."

"Thank you for that. I still don't want you reading that book though. I'd rather not know what is happening to me. Or what else can happen to me."

Ranger frowned. "Why?"

"So far, this pregnancy has not been fun at all. I've only stopped puking every day a couple weeks ago. I'm sure there are other _wonderful_ things that can happen. I'd rather not _know_ about it, so I don't have to _worry_ about it. I'll go to all of my appointments and do everything I'm supposed to do. I'm sure all kinds of things are going to change in my body as it gets fatter and fatter. I just don't want to know about it. And I don't want you to know about it either. And no…you _don't_ want to know why Lula has clippers."

Ranger's chest hitched as he smiled. He decided to keep his weekly calls to Selma to himself. "Okay, Babe. I promise not to read that book anymore."

But, he didn't promise that he wouldn't read _another_ copy. It contained really good and easy to understand information. Stephanie's rationale made all the sense in the world to him. Murphy's Law seemed to be her best friend. Anything that could go wrong….would go wrong when it involved Stephanie.

After inhaling the last bite of cake, Stephanie snuggled into Ranger's nook. "I love you so much, Carlos," she murmured as she traced little circles on his lower abs. "If you want to distract me again, you have my permission."

Chuckling, he rolled her underneath him. "Now that sounds like a good idea to me."

Ranger woke up again for the second time that night. The unwelcomed anxiety he experience that morning triggered some nightmares. He hadn't suffered any in weeks. The first time he awakened, he also woke Stephanie. He covered by making love to her. She didn't suspect a thing.

This nightmare was worse than before. The dream transported him back to the basement of the Henried's stable. Only this time, Khalid actually raped Stephanie. He almost cried with relief when as the dream faded, and their bedroom reappeared. Stephanie lay next to him safe and sound asleep. He refused to wake her this time. She had a long day and needed her rest. He slowly slid off the bed on his side. Pausing for a second to make sure she remained unconscious, he silently rose and padded to the kitchen.

Ranger grabbed a bottle of water from the fridge. He twisted the cap and took a long swallow. Gazing at the piano, Ranger smiled. Stephanie had a good day. After dinner, she reviewed the files to prepare for the interviews, made a couple of calls, and then played the piano for him. He loved listening to her play. He made love to her one more time before they fell asleep. He hadn't expected the nightmares to come back. The doctor told him that he had Post Concussive Syndrome from his head injury. It would only last several weeks after his accident. Three months had gone by. He thought he was past that crap.

He finished off his water and searched for his iPod. Listening to the song Stephanie had written for him would help. It always did. He found it on his desk and headed back to bed.

Right after Ranger left for his morning run with Ivy, Stephanie dragged herself out of bed. Lula emailed her resume last night. She giggled to herself as she recalled Lula's description of her former prostitution job as a _Customer Service Rep_. Stephanie needed to print it out and sneak it into the team's files for the interview. She called the three candidates last night and explained that the position had been filled. She refused to take any unnecessary chances. Lula needed this job, and Stephanie was going to pull out all the stops to make sure she got it. She couldn't risk the perfect candidate coming in and ruining everything.

She threw on Ranger's shirt and pulled on her yoga pants to sneak downstairs. Well…as much as one could sneak around in a monitored and secured building. She waved to Zip and Junior at the monitors and hurried to the copier. She decided to leave the other profiles and resumes in the manila folders stacked on Val's desk. She slid a copy of Lula's resume in the back of each folder. This way, no one would see it immediately. Glancing at the clock, she knew she had to hurry. Ranger would be back from his run soon. Besides, she still had time to get in a nap before she had to get ready.

Stephanie waited for Ranger to leave for the office before she called Lula. Lula promised she was on her way and wouldn't be late. Relieved, Stephanie raced through her shower. Ella told her the Rangeman maternity shirts wouldn't be in till Friday, so she pulled on another color blocked top. No Shamu look today. To make things even easier, she pulled her hair back into a high ponytail. Mascara and lip gloss completed the look, so she hurried down to 5.

Ranger started off the morning meeting at 8:00 a.m. sharp. Stephanie fidgeted in her seat. Ranger seemed to drone on like the adults in the Peanuts cartoons…whaa..whaa-whaa-whaa…whaa. 8:30 felt like a million hours away. She didn't actually see the sideways glances Ranger shot her way, but she could feel them.

"Okay," Ranger announced. "Since discussing next week's assignment roster doesn't seem to be interesting enough to Stephanie, I've got something better."

Ranger motioned for Hector to begin. The 52 inch HDTVs on each wall of the conference room flashed to life. Until Stephanie glanced at the clock for the kabillionth time did she notice the security video from the Hilton playing on the screen. With widened eyes and chin on her chest, she spun in her chair to face Ranger.

Flashing his 200 watt grin, he squeezed her hand. "Sorry, Babe, but this was _too_ good not to share."

Her head snapped towards the TV. Camel Toe looked to be programming card keys when Stephanie and Lula came into view. Stephanie didn't know if it was a good thing or bad thing that there wasn't any sound. The room erupted in cheers when Stephanie punched Camel Toe. Then, there were gasps and looks of horror when Lula dumped the used sanitary products on her. Screams and howls of laughter during the stamping. After Lula shaved her head and Stephanie's circus of middle fingers, the Merry Men jumped into a standing ovation.

"That was priceless, Beautiful," Lester exclaimed as he slung an arm over her shoulders.

"You still got it, Bombshell," Tank agreed, remembering the left hook that had sent Jeanne Ellen ass over head.

"She deserved it," Stephanie insisted.

"She deserved to be arrested, Babe," Ranger corrected. "She got off easy."

He called to group back to order. "Okay, let's take a look at the information on these candidates. First, we have Maryann Resnick…"

"Carlos?"

He raised his eyebrows.

"Um…I forgot to tell you," Stephanie explained. "She couldn't make it."

"Oh…okay. Then let's look at…."

"Carlos?"

"Yeah, Babe?"

"Um…none of them could make it."

Ranger frowned. "Why not? Did they become _suddenly bruised_, too?"

"Um…_no_! I called them and told them that the position was filled." She bit her lower lip.

"Babe…why'd you do that? You know we need to find someone for tomorrow," Ranger groaned.

"It's okay…I found someone who is perfect for the job. She's here for an interview. Her resume's in file….Tallulah Jones."

"Tallulah Jones?" Tank uttered in surprise.

Stephanie jumped up and ran to the door. She escorted in an impeccably dressed, black woman. "Gentleman…this is Tallulah Jones."

"Nice to make all of your acquaintances," Lula told them.

Jaws dropped all around the table…including Ranger's…as they realized who stood before them. She had dressed in a tailored, double breasted suit. Her hair was made up in a simple twist. She wore thin, wire-rimmed glasses. Flat out…Lula looked incredible. Stephanie led her to the empty seat by Tank.

"What are you doing here?" he asked.

"I am interested in the position you have open. I do believe I would be an asset to y'all's team," she explained then smiled.

"Tallulah? Can I offer you some refreshments?" Stephanie offered.

Lula scanned the buffet table. "Uh…yes. I would like some tea please."

The baddest men in Trenton suddenly became mute. Even Tank. He had no idea that Lula would be interested in this job. And now, he felt a little guilty that he didn't think of her first. Stephanie brought over the tea.

"Thanks," she told her. She leaned closer to Stephanie and whispered, "I got tea 'cause that sounded more classy."

They pulled out Lula's resume to read as she sipped her tea.

Lester snorted. "Customer Service Rep?...OW!" He bent down to rub his shin where Lula kicked him.

"Pardon me," she replied. She turned to Tank and flashed him a smile. "My foot slipped. Damn Italian shoes."

Ranger had to bite his cheek to keep from smiling. He knew right then that he would hire Lula. Not only would it make Stephanie happy, he sensed that Lula would actually do a good job. With the decision already made, it was time to have a little fun.

"Has Stephanie explained the role of this position, Miss Jones?"

"Yes…_Miss Plum_ did tell me what would be required," Lula responded. She shot Stephanie a quick smile. "I am to attract the attention of our FTA and get him to come outside with me peacefully. Then the rest of the team…that would be you…will take him into custody."

The guys exchanged shocked glances. None of them would have ever thought of Lula for the job. They all knew her. They all liked her. And, she had been the best candidate since Stephanie.

"We are all aware of your background in fugitive apprehension, Miss Jones. That makes you a very strong candidate for this position," Ranger told her. "Could you please step outside for a moment? I would like to discuss this with the team."

"You could sit with Val," Stephanie offered.

Lula got up and followed Stephanie towards the door. "You did really good in there, Lula," she whispered. "I'm sure Carlos is going to offer you the job."

"You think so, White Girl? I was practicin' those lines all night," Lula admitted.

Stephanie pointed to Val's desk then closed the conference room door behind her. "So what do you guys think? I think she's _perfect_ for the job!"

Tank looked around the room. "I know you think I'm biased, but I have to agree with Bombshell. I don't know why I didn't think about her in the first place."

"I think she'll be great, too," Hal chimed in. The others nodded.

"Please, Carlos," she begged. "I wouldn't have suggested it if I didn't think she could do it. And…she didn't spit food on you!"

"And she didn't blow ass," Woody murmured.

Ranger let out an exaggerated sigh. "Okay, Babe. The job is hers. Let her back in. You can be the one to tell her."

Stephanie cried out in delight and threw her arms around him. "Oh thank you, Carlos! She's going to be great. Just you wait and see!"

He kissed her quickly before she broke loose and hurried to the door. A few seconds later, Stephanie pulled Lula into the room.

"Lula…you got the job!"

Lula looked at all the faces in the room as she took in this news. Excited, she emitted that high pitched, howl-like screech. Some jumped. Some covered their ears. Hal swallowed his gum. Bobby spilled his juice down the front of his shirt and cargos.

"Shit….I'm deaf," Ram whined as rubbed his ears. His ears happened to be in the direct path of that Bigfoot mating call. Having a pastry dumped on his neck looked better and better.

"I can't believe this! Thank you. I promise I won't let you down. We'll get that mother fucker if it's the last thing I do. Y'all don't know what this means to me. Thank you!" She lunged at Ranger and grabbed him in a bear hug. Then she grabbed Tank and peppered his face with kisses.

"Tank, why don't you see Lula out? Or better yet, why don't you take her out to breakfast and go over the FTA's file with her?" Ranger suggested. He stood up and extended his hand to Lula. "Welcome to the team, Miss Jones."


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

As soon as Stephanie found out Ella and Luis would celebrate their 35th wedding anniversary on Monday, she begged Ranger to let them use Rasmussen's beach house.

"They work so hard all the time. They never take time for themselves. Please, Carlos? It would be a nice getaway for the 2 of them," Stephanie pleaded.

"I don't have a problem with either of them taking off time. You're right, Babe. They do need a vacation. But, I can't _make_ them take off time. And, it's last minute. I don't know if I can get someone here to cover them with a day's notice," Ranger explained.

Stephanie bit her lower lip. She couldn't argue that one. Ella and Luis weren't always seen by everyone every minute of the day, but they made Rangeman work. They took care of all the behind the scene operations. Maybe she could do Ella's job? At least she could try.

"I'll cover for Ella," Stephanie told him.

Both of Ranger's eye brows shot up his forehead. "I don't know…she really does a lot of work."

"I know I'm not as good as Ella, but I can at least do most of the day to day stuff. Just to keep her from getting behind. The guys can help out with Luis' work load. It would only be for a few days, Carlos. They do so much for us here. Everyone would be willing to help out." She gave him her best pout.

Ranger sighed. Not only could he not say no to that gorgeous face, but Stephanie was right. Ella and Luis filled in for everyone's mom and dad. Not one Rangeman employee wouldn't help to give them a special weekend away. It would be a little tricky to work out the schedule last minute, but he could manage it.

He already knew the end of next week would be hectic. Stephanie had an appointment with Selma on Wednesday. His grandmother's birthday was Friday. He wanted to leave for Miami on Thursday. He already booked a private plane, but he would change the travel arrangements depending on what Selma told them.

Having Stephanie cover Ella not only would give her something to do, but it would give her a chance to do something for Ella. Sadly, Ranger realized how much they all took Ella for granted. Ella cooked for them, cleaned up after them, and basically took care of them in general. Yeah, he paid Ella and Luis well in addition to putting secret bonus deposits into their 401k accounts. But Ella and Luis, especially Ella, were like second parents to all of them.

"I'll make sure they take the time off," Ranger insisted. The pure joy in Stephanie's eyes made it all worth while. "I'll reassign some of the important jobs to the guys at tomorrow morning's meeting. Let's go tell Ella and Luis."

After about forty five minutes of heavy convincing, Ella and Luis agreed. Ella refused to leave until Saturday morning. She wanted to get as much done as possible, put together a list of the daily must do chores, and make sure all the kitchens were stocked.

"Ella, just leave me a list of what we need," Stephanie told her. "I'll have one of the guys go with me to Costco, and we'll get it. Just go and enjoy yourselves."

Ella pulled her into a hug. Then she hugged Ranger. "We haven't been to the shore in ages. This is such a nice surprise." Ella's eyes misted.

"This is just a little something so you can eat out every night. You do enough around here. Time to treat yourselves." Ranger handed a thick envelop to Luis. "Make sure she takes it easy."

Luis shook Ranger's hand. "I will. I haven't thought about taking a vacation in a long time. After bringing it up, you're right. We are long overdue."

"We'll be back Wednesday afternoon," Ella promised. "I don't want to miss the results of your next ultrasound. They should be able to tell what you are having."

Stephanie smiled. "I hope so. I know some people want to wait and be surprised, but I've had enough surprises this year to last me a life time. I definitely want to know."

Ranger slung his arm over Stephanie's shoulders. "Let's get out of their hair, Babe. We'll talk to you before you leave."

Ella and Luis profusely thanked them again as they left. It got Ranger thinking about taking time off as well. Other than a long weekend here and there, and most recently for his injuries, he never had taken a long vacation. Things seemed to be calming down for him and Stephanie. With the promise to his grandmother to work hard and change his life, he never really took much time to appreciate the fruits of his labor. Now was the time. He needed to work out the details, but taking time off after Stephanie had the babies sounded like the best idea he had in years.

Tank made sure Lula had repeatedly reviewed the file for their FTA, Dennis Herring, AKA Fish. Fish had a reputation as being a breast man. He also had been known to be with women of all races. Lula certainly would fit the bill. Lula impressed Tank by taking this job so seriously. Lula's passion and loyalty drew him closer to her. She had been a good friend to Stephanie. The more he got to know her, the stronger the attraction grew.

Just like Stephanie constantly surprised them, Lula did as well. If someone asked him ten years ago if he would ever seriously date a prostitute, he would have accused that person of sniffing glue. If he said that it didn't bother him at all, he would be lying. Not about Lula being with a lot of men, it pained him to think that Lula had to sell herself to survive. It was funny that he and his best friend seemed to be moving into a new stage of life together.

The team began to file into the conference room for a final briefing. They expected Tank back any minute with Lula. Ram, Hal, and Ranger would be the first to leave. With Ram behind the bar, Ranger and Hal were to work the door and room as bouncers. Lester would be a floater inside and follow Lula and Fish out with Tank, Bobby, and Woody ready to nab him.

Fish skipped out on his court date because he faced longer jail time. Being his third offense, probation wouldn't be possible. His rap sheet dated back to fourteen years of age. The charges were for dealing and assault with a deadly weapon. With the evidence against him, he had about a snowball's chance in hell of beating the rap. The team needed to have Lula's back. This piece of shit wouldn't think twice about hurting her.

Stephanie changed into a black tank dress and pulled on her black suede, lace up moccasin boots. She wanted to wear something comfortable while she sat at the monitors to listen in on the take-down. Even though she knew Lula would do a good job, she still felt a little nervous for her. She remembered her first distraction and smiled. Right after the distraction, she and Ranger had made love for the first time. That night seemed like a life time ago. Noticing the time, she quickly swiped the mascara wand over her lashes and applied a little lip gloss before hurrying down to 5.

Lula looked perfect. She had on her black leather Beth Chapman bustier with black jeans. She complimented this with a cropped, red leather jacket. To complete the look, Lula donned her brown and honey-blonde Tina Turner wig. If the truth be told, the team expected something a bit more outrageous. Once again, she took them all by surprise.

"You look great, Lula," Stephanie told her as soon as she entered the conference room.

"Thanks White Girl. I got my Tyra Banks on tonight," Lula responded as she ran her hands down her stomach.

"I just came down to wish you luck."

Lula's smile vanished. "You're not going?"

"Uh…no. I'm going to listen in though," Stephanie explained.

"I thought you would be there," Lula sighed.

"Is everything okay?" Tank asked after picking up on Lula's sudden anxiety.

"Yeah…I just thought White Girl would be there."

"Do you _really_ want me to go?" Stephanie asked.

Lula nodded. "Can you? I won't be so nervous if I knew you was there. Kinda like a good luck charm."

Stephanie nibbled on her lower lip as she glanced over at Ranger. He had been pretty firm about her not chasing skips or doing distractions. "Carlos? Is it okay if I wait in the truck with Tank, Bobby, and Woody?"

Ranger's blank mask fell into place. She knew the idea didn't thrill him. But after a minute, he agreed.

"Stay close to Tank, Babe. I'll have Hector on stand-by just in case things get crazy. If the situation starts to get out of hand, he'll come and get you," Ranger insisted.

"I'm just going upstairs to get a jacket, Lula. I'll be right back," Stephanie said.

Placing his hand at the small of her back, Ranger walked her to the elevator. "Please stay inside the truck and close to Tank. I'm heading out now with Ram and Hal. Be careful, Babe." He kissed her before sending her up to 7.

When Stephanie returned to 5, Ranger, Ram, and Hal had already left. The rest of the team slipped into stand-by mode. They wouldn't leave the building unless they received confirmation that Fish was there. Fish had been seen at the Anchor Cafe the last three nights. Rumor had it Fish set up a meeting for tonight. Word on the street had it that Fish was collecting money he was owed, so he could skip town.

Lester and Lula talked about their game plan. He explained that he would be her primary back up. "If you get nervous or need to back off, you just give me the signal, and I'm there."

The two worked out a signal together and continued to talk about ways to get his attention.

Tank sat across from them. He flipped through the upcoming weeks' site visit schedule. Stephanie sauntered over and flopped down beside him. He looked up from his paperwork and smiled.

"Have I told you how much I appreciate you going to bat for Lula yet?"

Stephanie smirked. "Um…only about 100 times. And, it's not charity. She's going to be great."

Tank kissed her cheek. "Your friendship means a lot to Lula. You don't judge her on her past. She loves you for that. And…she accidently spilled the beans on why she needed the extra money."

Stephanie's eyes widened. "She wanted it to be a surprise! I'm so proud of her. I want to help her anyway I can."

"Me, too, Bombshell. She was so excited that she got the job and would have money for school. Then she told me about her plans for getting her diploma," Tank explained.

Thirty minutes later, the expected call finally came. Fish had arrived. Game time. Tank, Woody, Lester, Lula, Bobby, and Stephanie piled into the SUV and headed to the Anchor Café. Stephanie gave Lula some pointers along the way. Tank parked the SUV on a side street about a block away. Lester hopped out to get in place. They waited for Lester's cue before Tank moved in and parked across the street from the entrance.

"You ready for this, Lula Baby?" Tank whispered.

Lula grinned. "Just let me at this mother fucker. He won't know what hit 'em."

"That's my girl." Tank smiled back.

Lula lowered herself onto the sidewalk. She adjusted her breasts then did her best Tyra Banks catwalk impersonation into the club.

Lester whispered into his mic that Fish and another man went to the back office just before she walked into the room. Lula scanned the room and found his table. Two men were still sitting there. She made her way to the bar and slid onto a stool right in front of them.

After thirty minutes, Ranger decided to check out the back room. Listening at the door, he heard loud voices arguing about money. Fish and the other man were still inside. "Let's give it more time," he informed the team.

Another twenty minutes dragged by. Stephanie sat in the backseat of the SUV with Bobby, while Tank and Woody leaned against it. She began to squirm. Her bladder had been letting her know that it needed relief for the last ten minutes, but now it became critical. She tapped Tank on the shoulder.

"I have to pee," she whispered. "I'm sorry."

Tank grinned. He tapped his mic. "We have a situation out here. Bombshell needs to go 10-100."

Snickers and snorts sounded everyone's ear pieces.

"Send her in," Ranger instructed him. "Bathroom is in the back on the right."

"Ranger said the bathroom is in the back on the right side," Tank told her as he helped her out of the SUV.

"Was he mad?" Stephanie bit her lower lip. She didn't want to ruin anything. Especially since this was Lula's first time.

"No, he wasn't mad," Tank laughed. "Go on."

Stephanie hurried across the street and into the bar. Hal opened the inner door for her. "In the back on the right."

"Thanks, Hal," Stephanie replied.

The bar was pretty full. _Kashmir_ by Led Zeppelin blared from the jukebox. She took a quick look around and spotted Lula at the bar. Lula raised her drink in a salute. Stephanie spied the restrooms and made a bee line to the Ladies' Room.

Stephanie sighed with relief after she took care of business. She washed her hands and exited the bathroom. Leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, Ranger waited for her.

"I'm sorry. I really had to go," she sheepishly apologized.

Ranger pulled her to him. "Not a problem, Babe." He rubbed his hands up and down her arms. "You're cold."

"It's a little chilly outside."

He turned her in his arms so her back was against his chest. He encircled his arms around her and rested his hands on her belly. "Tank…Stephanie's going to stay inside with me. I'll keep an eye on her."

"Roger that," Tank acknowledged.

"Are you sure? I can wait outside."

"It's okay. Just stay with me, and I'll keep you warm. Lula's got enough back up."

Stephanie eased herself into Ranger's warm embrace. He rested his chin on her shoulder and kept his eye on the bar and the door to the back room. Stephanie knew to stay quiet and let Ranger focus on the situation.

Fish and the other man finally emerged from the back room. As he headed back to their table, Lula decided to lean over to fix her boot.

"Shit," Lester muttered into his mic. They all had the same thought as Lula's breasts nearly spilled out of her bustier.

"Damn Italian boots," she hissed. When she looked up, Fish stared right at her. She gave him her best smile. "I hate when you pay a lot of money for things, and they don't feel right."

His eyes left her face and drifted back down to her massive cleavage. "I know what you mean, Momma. Those are some fine lookin' boobs."

Lula smacked her lips and rolled her eyes. "I said _boots_…not _boobs_. I already know I got some fine lookin' boobs. How 'bout you by me a drink? I might let you touch one of them."

Fish threw his head back and howled. He motioned to Ram to get Lula's order before hopping onto the stool beside her. "Why don't I buy you a couple 'a drinks? Then maybe you'll let me suck on them?"

"You sure know how to get a lady excited," Lula egged him on.

"Well, I gotta head out in the mornin'," he explained. "I'm leavin' town for a while. But, I don't see why I can't get laid before I go."

"Well if you are wantin' sex, it'll cost more than one drink," Lula joked.

They continued to banter back and forth as the team watched and listened. Stephanie leaned into Ranger.

"See? I told you she'd be good at this," she whispered.

"I never doubted you, Babe," he replied then kissed her temple. Ranger wondered what was going through Tank's mind. Ranger loved watching Stephanie in action, but hated most of the comments she had gotten. It took a lot of will power to stay calm and focused.

Lula suggested that Fish walk her to her car. She promised him a good time. Lester announced that she was bringing him out. The team got into position.

"Lula?"

Lula and the rest of the team searched the room to find the person that went with the voice.

"Lula….girl, I knew that was you! How you doin'? I thought you quit." A middle-aged man of mixed race staggered over to them.

"Shit…we may need to move in," Ranger announced.

They needed another distraction for the distraction. Lula still had a chance to get Fish out before the drunk could reach them. Stephanie broke from Ranger's embrace and pulled off her jacket.

"Here," she told him as she handed it to him. "I've got an idea. We can still do this."

"Babe…" Ranger began, but Stephanie was already half way across the bar.

Nickelback's _Burn It To The Ground_ filled the room as the jukebox roared to life again. Stephanie climbed onto the bar and began to dance.

"Lula," Ranger barked into his mic, "Move now. Get him outta here. Lester…watch the exit. Hal and Ram…back me up with Steph!"

Most likely trampled in the stampede to get closer to the bar, the drunken man was forgotten. Just about every man, and a few women, cheered on Stephanie as her shoulders, hips, and ass moved to the driving beat of the music.

Temporarily distracted by Stephanie, Lula offered Fish more sexual favors. He grabbed her wrist and led her out the front door only to be captured by a waiting Tank, Bobby, and Woody.

Ranger's eyes connected with Stephanie's. Watching her dance like that turned him on. He draped her jacket over the back of a chair and leaned against the wooden support post directly across from her. _Burn It To The Ground_ was officially his new favorite song.

The crowd began to fade, and the rest of the room became a blur. Stephanie kept her focus on Ranger. She danced for him…and only him. His arms crossed his massive chest as he leaned against the post. His head barely bobbed up and down to the beat. A faint hint of a smile and the feral look in his eyes told her that Ranger enjoyed watching her dance. Surprisingly, the crowd was impervious to the electricity between them.

Her moves weren't overtly sexual or erotic, but they had the right effect. Running her tongue slowly across her upper teeth as her eyes blazed into his, beads of sweat formed on his forehead and upper lip. Tank momentarily broke the spell as he informed him they had Fish in custody. Stephanie spun around to shake her ass as she ran her hands through her curls when he noticed her underwear. It was hard to miss the bright yellow of the old TV show Batman symbol on her backside. Occasionally, Stephanie and Lula referred to him as Batman. The room seemed to get hotter. His pants felt uncomfortably tight. All he could only think about pounding himself into her over and over again to the driving beat of the music. Ranger made a mental note to download this song off iTunes when they got home.

The room erupted in cheers, catcalls, and hollers as the song ended. Ranger sauntered through the crowd and extended his hand. Stephanie took it as she stepped down to a stool. She placed her hands on his shoulders as he grabbed her waist. With a quick hop, Ranger gently guided her to the floor. As he leaned in to kiss her, a man in a chain covered, black leather jacket roughly yanked her away almost knocking her to the floor.

"Beat it Jimmy Chongo. This bitch needs a white man, my friend," he spat at Ranger.

Ram had practically flown over the bar to catch Stephanie before she landed on her behind. Hal and Lester moved in beside Ranger…ready to jump in.

Before anyone realized what happened, the biker tried to swing at Ranger. With the speed of a striking cobra, Ranger snatched his wrist and twisted his arm behind his back. The biker yelped. Ranger grabbed the back of his neck with the other hand. Forcing the biker forward, Ranger smashed his face into the nearest table before jerking him upright again.

"It's chimichanga, mi amigo," Ranger hissed back in a heavy, Cuban accent.

The biker's head started to bob and weave as blood slowly trickled from his newly swelling nose. His body began to sway as he groggily looked around at all of them.

"Yo quiero Taco Bell," he slurred before he toppled to the floor.

Ranger stepped on and over the unconscious body as if he were a speed bump and pulled Stephanie into his arms. "You okay, Babe?"

She nodded…still too stunned to answer. Lester pulled the biker's wallet from his back pocket and looked for identification.

"No one puts their hands on you," Ranger whispered into her ear. "Except me." That asshole had it coming to him. First, he ruined an incredibly erotic moment. Then he touched his woman.

After reading the name on the driver's license, Lester pulled out his smart phone and punched in the name. "Holy crap! This is Jake Drumetski. He's on Sebring's list. Listed as FTA for the last 3 days." Lester paused to smile. "It's a 250 grand bond, too."

Ranger nodded. "Call Sebring to bring the paperwork to the station." He turned back to Stephanie. "Looks like you're going to get a nice shopping spree in Miami, Babe."

"Me?" she gasped incredulously. "I didn't do anything!"

"Didn't do anything?" Ram interrupted. "Besides helping Lula get the first guy out, you were the one that grabbed the attention of this guy. And we didn't know anything about him."

"We just earned another 25 grand tonight, Babe. Because of you," Ranger told her. He glanced at Lester and Hal and cocked his head towards Drumetski. "Cuff him and take him out."

"Can we stop at Taco Bell on the way home? We're hungry. I don't know why, but we have a _huge_ craving for some Nachos Grande…and those cinnamon things…and a Pepsi," Stephanie begged as she rubbed her belly.

Ranger shook his head as the corners of his mouth twitched. "Taco Bell it is, Babe."


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

It was almost ten in the morning by the time Stephanie finally awoke. Ranger had practically attacked her the second they entered the apartment last night. They made love on the floor of the foyer, the shower, the living room, and finally the bed. Smiling at the memory, Stephanie rolled over and stretched. She came face to face with Ivy who licked her cheek.

"Good morning, girl," she murmured. Ivy's tail thumped on the bed. "Carlos?"

No answer. Ranger mentioned that he wanted to get some things done for Luis. She had to start Ella's job today as well. Of course, Ella cleaned the whole building yesterday because she didn't want to leave much for Stephanie. She decided she would go to Costco today to get the shopping over with…and for all the free demo food. Then Sunday, she would clean the locker room and do the laundry. That would just leave the day to day stuff for the office Monday through Wednesday. She could do this.

Stephanie knew Lester would be getting ready for his hot date with Xylia, so she asked Ram and Woody to go with her to Costco. While waiting for the guys, she rocked in the huge La-Z-boy in the rec room on 4 when Lester found her.

"I need your help, Beautiful," he begged. "I was thinking of giving Xylia flowers and candy. Is that too corny?"

"Uh…no. I think that would be nice," she assured him. "You can't go wrong with flowers and candy."

"You could buy her a whole flower shop and 10 pounds of chocolate, and you still ain't gonna score," Ram interjected.

"Yeah," Woody agreed. "Maybe you should get her some holy water or something." Ram and Woody howled at their own wit. Stephanie bit her lower lip to keep from laughing.

"Flowers and candy are always appropriate for a first date, Lester. Don't listen to them," Stephanie insisted.

"What should I wear? It's a church dinner, but it's not like a mass or anything."

"Jesus Christ, Santos," Ram groaned. "You're acting like a fuckin' virgin on prom night."

Stephanie giggled. "Why don't you guys head down to the garage, and I'll be down in a minute."

Ram nodded and guided Woody towards the elevator. They cracked a few more joked on their way out.

"Assholes," Lester muttered under his breath.

"Lester, just relax. Wear a nice shirt and jeans. Throw on a sports jacket to dress it up a bit." She gave him a peck on the forehead. "You really like this girl, don't you?"

He nodded. "Yeah, I do. I want to make a good impression. I'm not used to… _dating_. I'm used to picking someone up and…um…doing my thing."

"If you really want her to like you for you, be yourself. Don't be phony. Playing games never works out in the end."

Lester pulled her into a bear hug. "Thanks, Beautiful. I knew I could count on you. You're a good friend. Well…you're one of my best friends." He broke into a lopsided grin as he reached down to rub her belly. "This is kinda cool. It seems like you've been pregnant forever, but now you look pregnant."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "I look _fat_ you mean."

Lester frowned. "No…_pregnant_. There's a difference. You looked so hot dancing on the bar last night. No fat chick could have pulled that off." He waggled his eyebrows. "Loved the Batman panties."

Stephanie just shook her head and sighed. "You are so not right, Lester Santos."

Saturdays at Costco were a mad house. The Rangeman parking gods smiled on Ram as he found an empty spot right up front. Stephanie pulled out the list Ella left for her. Then she rummaged around for her Costco card.

"Okay, guys, let's go."

Ram grabbed a flatbed cart while Woody found a regular one. Stephanie pointed to the items, and the guys loaded their carts. They slowly made their way to the food section.

"Ooh…bourbon glazed chicken!" Stephanie cried.

Surrounded by a bus load of senior citizens, the demo lady removed a hot tray from the toaster oven. Ram tried to get Stephanie a sample but got elbowed out of the way.

"Damn," he muttered. "What's with these people?"

The demo lady replenished the tray as wrinkled old hands advanced, but Ram grabbed it before the seniors had a chance. He handed it to Woody to give to Stephanie.

"Hey!" an older gentleman called out. "What the hell do you think you're doing?"

Another lady stomped on his foot with a thick soled, orthopedic shoe. "Ow!" Ram growled.

Stephanie loaded the cart with chicken pieces before Woody handed the tray back to the demo lady. The seniors forgot all about Ram and fought over the remaining pieces.

"Don't they feed these geezers at the rest home?" he whined as he rubbed the top of his foot.

Stephanie fed him a piece. "These are good. Woody…grab a bag of these."

Ram nodded in agreement. "Get 2 bags, Woody. Hey…that lady's got cheeseburgers!" Ram hobbled to the next demo station before the relic crew finished the chicken.

"Hey…that big doofus is eating all the burgers!" the same old guy announced. The seniors rushed to cheeseburger station.

"What the fuck?" Ram snatched all the cheeseburger samples and ran clear of the stampeding geriatrics. He split them up with Stephanie and Woody.

"Shit, these are good!" Woody exclaimed. "We need to get some of these, too."

Stephanie and Ram nodded in agreement.

"Get a couple of boxes, Woody," Stephanie order with a mouthful of burger. Stephanie scanned the area. "Brownies! Ram…get some of those before that Geritol crowd gets there!"

Two hours later, they surveyed the damage as the Costco associate examined the six foot long receipt against the items in the three carts. Half way through the food section, Woody had to get another cart.

"I don't think all this stuff is going to fit in the truck, Steph," Ram sighed.

Stephanie looked between Ram and Woody and bit her lower lip. "I guess we can call the Control Room and see if Bobby is around to meet us here."

Ram eased himself down on the curb with a slight moan.

"Sorry about that old guy," Steph apologized. She sent Ram to get her samples of a lobster spread, and that same old man punched in him the groin.

"Don't worry about it Bomber," Woody offered. "He'll be all right. Besides, that lobster stuff rocked."

Ram just rolled his eyes. "Wasn't worth swollen balls," he muttered under his breath.

She fished her cell phone from her bag and dialed.

"Rangeman."

"Shit!" Stephanie gasped and disconnected. "That was Carlos!"

Her phone immediately rang.

"Hello?"

"Babe…why'd you hang up? What's wrong?" Ranger asked.

She hated to hear the concern in his voice. "Nothing's wrong. Is Bobby around? We…uh...um…just need someone to meet us at Costco to…um…help with stuff."

"I'll be there in 5."

"No wait! You don't have to come…" But, it was too late. Ranger had already disconnected. "Shit, Carlos is coming."

Ram rubbed his face with his hands. "Okay…don't panic. Uh…let's get as much of this shit in the truck as we can. It won't look so bad then."

Woody ran to get the truck and pulled it around. They crammed as much of the extra food as possible in their truck so Ranger wouldn't see it. Then, they piled the toilet paper and other cleaning supplies over that. In four minutes and thirty seconds, another Rangeman Navigator pulled into the lot.

Ranger eased in behind the other SUV. He got out and sauntered around the front. With hands on hips, he took in the remaining purchases.

"Did you buy out the store, Babe?"

"Uh…no. I got what was on Ella's list. Well…and maybe a few other things," Stephanie stammered.

"That's a lot of food."

Ram and Woody decided to avoid the confrontation and started to pack the other SUV.

"I couldn't help it, Carlos," she whined as she rubbed her belly. "We were hungry. That stuff tasted _so_ good. And I figured with Ella not here to cook, it would help to have a lot of stuff that was easy for me to make. But, I did buy you some apples."

Ranger smirked and shook his head. He took the receipt from her hand. "I could repel down the side of the building with this thing, Babe," he joked. "Come on…let's get the supplies back to the fort."

"Huh?" She gave him a quizzical look.

"You bought enough food for a whole battalion. My troops would have loved you."

Stephanie finished helping Woody pack the rest of the food in the freezer in the Rec Room on 4. Lester made his way to the elevator carrying a huge red heart filled with chocolates and a bouquet of red roses sprinkled with delicate baby's breath. He wore a light gray sports coat over a cream and sage green polo shirt and blue jeans.

"Well? Do I look okay?" Lester slowly turned to give Stephanie the full effect.

"Perfect!" she told him as Woody smirked. Stephanie playfully punched Woody in the arm. She hurried over to give him a hug and kiss.

"Don't listen to him. You look great. Have a good time."

"Thanks, Beautiful. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow." He smiled as he backed into the open elevator.

Lester's heart rate picked up and beads of sweat formed on his forehead. He took several deep breaths before he knocked on Xylia's door. He prayed he could calm himself down by the time she opened the door. Shit. He hadn't even really spent that much time with Xylia, and she had him praying already!

The door opened to a very conservatively dressed Xylia. Clad in a white sweater that molded to her perfect rack, neckline a bit higher than he would have liked. A long denim skirt and tan cowboy boots completed the look. "Hi, Lester!"

"Hey, Xylia," he replied and gave her a quick kiss. "These are for you." He thrust the flowers and candy at her. Lester's smiled faltered when Xylia frowned.

"What's wrong?" Lester begged. "Did I do something wrong?"

Xylia smile appeared to be forced. "It's fine. You probably just didn't know."

"Know what?" Lester leaned against the door frame as more sweat beaded on his face. He fucked up somehow and had no idea what he did to offend her.

"Red," Xylia sighed. "It's the devil's color. I don't wear red or have anything red in my house. I understand the thought behind your gift. The flowers are beautiful, Lester. I love that you wanted to do something special for me. I can't accept evil flowers. I'm sorry."

"Well, we can take the chocolates out of the box, and I'll throw it away. I'm sorry, Xylia. I didn't know. I asked Stephanie if you would think that it was stupid if I bought you flowers and candy. She said no, so I ran out and bought it. I thought red was like a…_standard_ color," he explained. "I didn't think about the devil or anything."

She still hadn't invited him inside yet. Lester convinced himself that he had blown it with Xylia. She handed back the evil flowers and heart, and his own heart sank.

"I'm allergic to chocolate," she stated flatly. "Why don't you just give those to Stephanie? I'm sure she'll eat them." Xylia closed the door behind her. "We better get going. We don't want to be late."

Lester's eyes widen. "Y-you still want to go out with me? Even though I got you the devil roses?"

Xylia furrowed her brow. "Well of course, silly. You tried to do something nice for me. You didn't know how evil the color red was." She looped her arm through his. "If you want to buy me flowers again…I love white. White is wholesome and pure. Like me." Her face brightened as she laughed.

Lester couldn't help buy grin. "You're on. Hey…do you like ice cream? I thought we could go for ice cream after this shindig."

"I love ice cream! That would be great. Just make it vanilla!"

Lester laughed with her. His body slacked from the release of the tension as he walked her to his truck. He helped her in the passenger side and walked around to the driver's side. He paused at the back of the truck to throw the satanic offering in the storage area. He would give them to Stephanie when he got home. He had to find out what things Xylia liked. Or what stuff wasn't cursed by the devil. Definitely had to make up for _that_ major blunder!

The size of the crowd shocked Lester. There had to be almost two hundred people here. And…most of them looked normal. He didn't realize so many people still went to church functions these days. Lester helped Xylia out of his truck escorted her to the party.

Xylia proudly introduced him to all of her church friends. "This is Lester Santos. He came into my bookstore and swept me off my feet!" she told them.

Some looked surprised and others looked confused. Lester shrugged it off. Xylia probably never had someone as good looking as he was before. He extended his hand. "Nice to me you."

"Lester used to be in the Army, and now he works for a security company," Xylia continued to gush about him.

"Are you a member of this church, Lester?" a middle aged woman who was introduced as Yolanda asked. "We've never seen you here before."

"No…I'm Catholic. Uh…actually, I haven't even been to church in a while," Lester confessed.

"Come on, Lester," Xylia urged as she began to led him by the hand. "The fish is ready."

Xylia guided him to a table and gestured for him to sit. "I'll fix us some plates. Be right back."

He smiled at Xylia as she waved to him from the food line. The breeze wafted the smell of fried fish and chips over to where he was sitting. So far, the date seemed to be going fine. They really didn't know much about each other. Lester never had been interested in learning more about women…other than getting their phone numbers or if they wanted to spend the night with him. He probably was just over thinking things. Just relax, go with the flow, and enjoy yourself, he thought.

Xylia returned with two, heaping plates of fried fish, chips, and cole slaw. She placed them on the table and hurried back to get the drinks. Seconds later, she handed him a sweet tea before sliding onto the bench next to him. Lester and Xylia dug into their meals.

"This is pretty good," Lester admitted. He didn't know what to expect, but it sure wasn't anything good.

"They always do such a great job. That's why I suggested that we come here. Are you having a good time so far?"

Lester's mouth was full so he just nodded. "Everyone seems nice. Do you hang out with anyone here?"

Xylia shrugged. "I talk to some people, and we hang out at church functions. I work a lot, so I don't get out much socially."

"When you do have free time, what do you like to do?" He figured he could get some ideas for future dates…and not offend her again.

"I love to read. And, I love going to the movies. I haven't been to the movies in years though. Probably not since the _Passion of the Christ_ came out. Oh…and I'd use to love to go roller skating. What do you usually do?"

Lester swallowed hard. Damn, that was a loaded question. "Well…I kind of work a lot of crazy hours. I've worked a lot of extra shifts because I'm saving to buy a house of my own. To be honest…I've never really dated much."

Xylia's eyes widened. "Really? A handsome man like you? I would have thought you would have had tons of girlfriends."

Lester smirked. Okay, what's a little white lie? Her favorite color was white…right? "Actually, I've only _dated_ a couple of women. But, it wasn't for long. I guess I hadn't met that special someone yet." He flashed Xylia his best smile. He didn't really lie. He did only _date_ a few girls. He just didn't add that he also banged hundreds of women. "I was so nervous about our date. I wanted to make a good impression. I must have changed clothes 3 times."

Xylia giggled. "Well, you made the right decision. You look fantastic."

"Thanks. I wasn't sure what to wear, so I asked Stephanie."

Xylia paused to sip her iced tea. "You saw Stephanie today? How is she doing?"

"I see Steph every day. We live together. Well…in the same building I mean. I live in an apartment on the 4th floor of the Rangeman building. Ranger and Stephanie live on the 7th floor. The rent's pretty reasonable, so I'm able to put a lot of money in savings. Like I said, I want to get my own house some day," Lester explained.

He couldn't put his finger on it, but he got the feeling that something was wrong. Music blared from the DJ's sound system. Perfect time for a distraction. He got to his feet and held out his hand.

"Would you like to dance?"

Her face lit up like Yankee Stadium. Jumping to her feet, she took his hand. "I'd love to, Lester."

Lester zigzagged them through several couples until he reached the center of the makeshift dance floor. He pulled Xylia close, but she resisted.

"We have to save room for the Lord, Lester," she explained with a giggle. "It's not proper for our bodies to touch."

Damn.

Stephanie prepared a tiny smorgasbord picnic for her and Ranger. She carefully placed everything into a basket before calling him. "It's ready! Let's go while it's still hot."

Ranger emerged from his office. He had changed into charcoal gray hoodie and black jeans. He looked amazing in just about everything and anything…or nothing. When she realized her staring had amused him, she rolled her eyes.

"You really are good for my ego, Babe."

"You carry the basket, and I'm going to get my guitar."

Ranger raised one eye brow. "Not only did you make dinner for me, but I get serenaded as well?"

Stephanie snorted. "You'll get a lot more than that later on." She retrieved her guitar, and they headed to the roof.

Stephanie spread the blanket in their normal spot. Ranger had Luis put a Rubbermaid deck box up there, so Stephanie didn't have to keep lugging blankets and cushions to the roof with her all the time. Ranger pulled out two large cushions, as Stephanie arranged the food on the tray. She lifted up her bottom to allow Ranger to slide the cushion under it.

"Hey!" she gasped after he copped a feel.

"You told me I'd get more," he teased.

She fed him a salsa covered tortilla chip.

"That's pretty good. What kind of salsa is that?" He helped himself to another.

"It's Mango Peach salsa. We got it at Costco today. Wait 'til you taste the lobster spread. Some old man punched Ram in the crotch over it," she told him.

Ranger choked on his food. Stephanie leaned over and pounded him on the back. "Are you okay, Carlos?"

After nodding, Ranger coughed a few more seconds before breaking out in laughter. "That was pretty good salsa, Babe, but nothing is worth getting punched in the balls!"

"Well even Woody thought it was good. Here."

Stephanie fed him a multigrain cracker with a salmon colored mound.

Ranger accepted the food and his eyebrows rose in appreciation. "Well, I can't honestly say that it's worth getting slammed in the nuts, but I think we should make sure Ella gets this regularly."

"It was so crazy!" Stephanie also began to laugh. "There was like this senior citizens' bus trip there or something. Maybe the rest home ran out of food. I have no idea, but they like _swarmed_ all over the food demo people. I kept sending Ram in to get more food, and this old guy kept attacking him." She paused to give him an apologetic smile. "Everything was so good that we had to buy it."

He took her hand and brushed his lips across the back in a gentle kiss. "I don't care about the food, Babe. You can get whatever you want. I just don't understand the laptop purchase."

Stephanie pulled her hand back and straightened up. "I'll reimburse you for that. I promise! I got it as a gift for someone. I'll use the money I earned from last night…."

Ranger cut her off. "Babe, you don't have to do that. I only meant that I didn't understand _why_ you bought it. I just got you a new laptop. You don't have to account for everything you buy." He fed her a bourbon chicken nugget.

Stephanie sighed. "Well, I guess I could tell you. I know you wouldn't tell anyone else. I bought it as a gift for Lula. She told me that she's going back to school in the fall and was looking for more work to help pay for things. She's really worked hard to make something of herself. I know she doesn't have a computer. I thought this would help her with school."

"Lula's going to college?"

Stephanie chewed on her lip. "No…she's going back to get her high school diploma. She dropped out because she had to…take care of herself. She was going to surprise Tank when she graduated, but she told him already. She wanted a real diploma and not a GED. I want to use my share of the 2nd take down to pay for it. If she didn't ask me to be there, we wouldn't have gotten him. So, I thought I would do something special for her."

Ranger pulled her closer for a kiss. Before he sat back, he licked the smear of bourbon sauce off her upper lip. "You're a good friend, Babe. I'm impressed that she wants to go back to school. There certainly is a lot more to Lula than loud colors and spandex. What else do you think she needs? I think we can give her an extra bonus for doing a great job. She got her man on the first try."

Stephanie threw her arms around his neck and smacked him with a kiss. "Carlos! That is so sweet. Lula's going to be thrilled! I don't know how to thank you."

Ranger fed her another salsa covered tortilla. "I'm sure I'll think of something," he assured her as he waggled his eyebrows.

After several dances with Xylia…and the Lord, Lester felt a strong urge to escape the Jesus festival. It started to give him the creeps. He enjoyed being with Xylia but disappointed that the physical part of the date was going to be non-existent. When he saw a crew starting to clean up the food tables, he made his move.

"How about we get out of here and get some ice cream?" he offered.

"That sounds great," she agreed. "I always get stuck cleaning up at these things. Let's go now before I get roped into helping. I have a hard time saying no."

Hmm, Lester thought to himself. That would be something he would do. Maybe they did have some stuff on common after all? He would also have to file the _hard time saying no_ comment for future or near future use!

Lester took her to Buxton's. They had the best sundaes in all of Trenton. As he helped Xylia out of the truck, he heard someone call his name. Turning around, he spotted Joe Morelli with a hot looking chick.

"Hi Joe," Lester said as they shook hands. "This is Xylia. Xylia…this is Joe Morelli and…?"

"Annemarie," he finished as he offered his hand to Xylia. "Nice to meet you, Xylia. Would you like to join us?"

Lester looked to Xylia for approval. When she nodded, he accepted. The couples made their way inside and were seated almost immediately.

"So how long have you been dating each other?" Joe asked.

"This is our first date. Lester took me to my church's Fish Fry. I work at the book store at Quakerbridge. That's where we met," Xylia explained. Lester took her hand and squeezed.

"It was like fate. I was bored, so I went to the mall. I bought Steph this stuffed kangaroo with twins. Some gay guy started checking me out, so I ducked into the very next store…and there she was," Lester added.

"So you know Stephanie, too?" Annemarie wondered. "We met her and Lula at the diner the other day."

"Yeah, I work with her. Ranger started training her to be a bounty hunter. That's how they met. He brought her to the building to teach her how to shoot. I got to know her, and we've been friends ever since."

"You 2 know Stephanie?" Xylia inquired.

"I've known Steph since she was 6 years old," Joe sighed. "Her family lived around the corner from mine. We went to school together. Lost touch for a while, but we reconnected when I transferred back here. I was with the State Police, but I'm a detective with Trenton PD now."

"How did you 2 meet, Annemarie?" Xylia queried.

"I'm a social worker. I also just transferred to Trenton. I work with the juvenile court system. I try to help the troubled youths turn their lives around. I bumped into Joe at the station….literally. He spilled his coffee on me. To make up for it, he treated me to lunch. We just hit it off," Annemarie mused.

"Works every time," Joe joked. Annemarie playfully elbowed him in the ribs.

The waitress finally swung by the table to take their order. Xylia excused herself to go to the restroom. Annemarie decided to join her.

"Xylia seems nice," Joe told him. "You actually went to a church fish fry?"

Lester shrugged. "That's where she wanted to go. It was better than I thought it would be. The food was pretty good. They even had a DJ. I don't know about you, but I'm looking for something more than a one night's stand. What about you?"

"Yeah, I guess that's me, too. I want to find someone to share more than my bed. I'm getting older. I'd like to have a family before I turn 40. I don't know if Annemarie is the one, but she's a lot of fun to be with. I'm taking the entrance exam for the FBI Academy in a couple weeks. If I get in, I'll be gone for a while. And I don't know where I'll get assigned. So we'll just have to take one day at a time," Joe sighed.

"FBI? That's all right. What made you want to do that?"

Xylia and Annemarie returned. The waitress followed right behind them with a huge tray of meticulously crafted sundaes.

"Well, it's something I always wanted to do. After all that shit with Stephanie…it made me realize how much I still wanted it. So, I sent in my application. Durrer is going to give me a reference."

"Joe applied to the FBI Academy," Lester explained to catch them up on their conversation.

"Wow, that's really neat," Xylia said.

"Hey, I told Steph that we should all go out together soon. You and Xylia should join us," Joe insisted.

"Sounds good to me," Lester agreed.

Lester and Xylia bid Joe and Annemarie good night after they finished their dessert. Lester wanted some alone time with Xylia. He drove her back to her apartment and walked her to the door.

"I had a really good time today, Xylia. I hope you did too, because I want to see you again."

"I'd love that, Lester. I know you didn't understand about the color red, and you didn't have to take me to my church's function. That was really thoughtful. Next date, you get to pick the place. I have next Saturday off if you are available," Xylia offered.

"Saturday it is. I'll take you some place really special. It will be a surprise. Maybe we can get together for lunch or dinner during the week. I know it's hard to plan anything when we are both working, but we can try." He bent down and kissed her. Her lips tightened and refused his tongue entry. She quickly unlocked her door.

"Thanks again for a wonderful time, Lester. Good night." She let herself inside and closed the door in Lester's face.

"Good night, Xylia," Lester muttered to the metal door.

He didn't expect sex, but damn. He thought he would at least get a little tongue action. No…stop that, he scolded himself. He had to learn to slow down. He was dating someone that didn't fool around on the first date. Hopefully, she put out on the third or fourth…or at least let him feel her up or something. Even Hal and Val hadn't gone all the way yet. They had been dating for a while now. Christ, he hoped he didn't have to wait that long. He got back in his truck and headed home.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

Ranger decided that he and Hector would oversee Luis' more important job functions. He delegated the routine tasks to the rest of the team that lived in the building. Hal, Woody, and Ram planned to clean the garage floor. Bobby and Lester offered to polish all the hallway floors and the lobby. Stephanie started on the laundry then planned to stock and clean the locker room. They were no strangers to team work, but this was special. Doing something for Ella and Luis motivated all of them to go above and beyond.

Not surprising, Ella called Stephanie that morning. Ella had barely left the building twenty four hours ago and wanted to check up on Stephanie already. She assured Ella that things were fine and to go and enjoy themselves. She grabbed her iPod before dropping Ivy off on 5.

After collecting all the dirty towels, wash cloths, and sheets, Stephanie pushed the cart to the elevator. The laundry room sat in the basement across the hall from the gun range. Just like everything else in the building, Ranger outfitted the laundry room with two, huge, state of the art, front load washers and two matching dryers. Figuring the towels and wash cloths would take the longest to dry, Stephanie crammed both washers full and started the cycle. She glanced at her watch. A regular cycle took about forty-five minutes. She decided to 'make' the guys breakfast. They bought a few boxes of Costco breakfast sandwiches. Microwave cooking was under rated in her opinion. A person could cook a whole feast in a microwave. The guys always did nice things for her, so she wanted to reciprocate.

"You made breakfast?" Lester asked, incredulous.

Ram, Woody, and Lester surveyed the spread on the counter. She had the sandwiches stacked on a platter. The fruit salad sat in a large serving bowl. The smell of coffee brewing infiltrated their senses as Stephanie poured glasses of orange juice.

"I'm not helpless, you know," she protested. "How'd your date go?"

All eyes turned to Lester. He swallowed hard before answering.

"Good. We had a nice time," Lester told them. "We met Joe and his new girlfriend at Buxton's last night."

"Told ya you wouldn't get any," Ram teased as he grabbed a sandwich.

"Did she like the flowers and candy?" Stephanie continued.

"Oh…well…she _loved_ the flowers," Lester lied. "But, she's allergic to chocolate. So, she told me to give them to you."

Stephanie frowned as she poured a glass of orange juice for herself to go with her own sandwich. "Oh my God! How can you live without chocolate? That's like a fate worse than death."

Lester playfully elbowed her arm. "Don't worry, Beautiful. She's got plenty of Lester to live off of." Although he didn't see that happening any time soon.

The conversation over breakfast turned to the twins. "Are they really going to be able to tell what you are having?"

Stephanie shrugged. "They should. I guess it depends on whether or not they can see the…uh…," she stammered as she pointed to her groin area. "Boy and girl parts."

"I bet you're having 2 boys," Ram insisted.

Bobby joined them after loading his plate. "Nah, I think you're having 2 girls. Ranger's not going to know what hit him."

The guys laughed.

"Holy crap! Can you imagine what Ranger would be like when the boys started coming around?" Lester joked. "Especially if they look like you?"

"I feel sorry for any guy that shows up here looking for your daughters," Ram agreed. "You see how protective Ranger is of you. I don't even want to _think_ about what he'd be like with his daughters."

"Well, I'd like to have one of each. But as long as they are healthy, I don't care," Stephanie added.

When they finished, Stephanie started to clear the table, but Hal stopped her.

"Leave it, Steph. I'll get it later. Thanks for breakfast," Hal said.

She got hurried pecks on her cheeks in gratitude before they headed out.

With the towels and wash cloths done, Stephanie threw in the sheets and pillow cases. Then she loaded the cart with all the folded linens to restock the locker room. Ella told her she saved cleaning the locker room for Sunday because it was rarely used that day. The idea of mopping and cleaning the shower room didn't phase her as much as the thought of cleaning the toilets. Oh shit….and _urinals_! She forgot all about the urinals. Even the name urinal sounded gross. Thank God Ella kept rubber gloves on the cart! She took a deep breath, donned her iPod, and entered the locker room.

Stephanie stocked the first cabinet in the locker room area. She filled the rolling bucket with detergent and hot water before tackling the shower room. She restocked the cabinet by the shower room door. She tried to roll the bucket forward, but it got stuck on the raised lip in the doorway. She backed into the shower room and pulled the bucket over the hump. The moist heat caught her attention.

Stephanie whirled around to find Hal, Ram, and Woody, all naked, taking their showers like nothing was wrong. She gasped as she took in the sea of schlongs. She couldn't help herself. If naked men were on display, it was only _normal_ to look, right? Hal's scream broke her out of her trance.

"Shit," Ram muttered as he reached for his towel.

Hal toppled to the wet tiles like a felled tree. Stephanie spun around to get the hell out of Dodge, but she stumbled over the bucket. Time seemed to slow down as the ceramic rose up to meet her. Her chest hit the raised lip of the doorway and forced the air from her lungs in an audible whoosh. The sudden flood of warm water from the bucket washed over her soaking her skin and clothes. She watched as her iPod sailed away with the sudsy wave towards the lockers.

Stephanie felt as if something had squeezed her rib cage from all sides preventing her from catching her breath. Ram asked if she was okay, but she couldn't respond. And, she was too embarrassed to look at him. Because two seconds ago, she had been ogling all their penises. Or was it peni? Whatever! And oh my God, she thought, even Valerie hasn't seen Hal's penis yet!

"Get Bobby!" Ram demanded.

Stephanie's lungs finally allowed her to take a deep breath, and her voice returned. "I-I'm okay, Ram," she croaked.

"Just sit down for a minute," he instructed as he wrapped her in a large towel.

She cautiously opened one eye. Ram's lower half was covered, but water dripped down his impressive chest. Woody's body was also towel clad as he fished his phone out of the pocket of his pants. Ram gently pulled Stephanie to her feet and walked her to the bench.

"You don't have to call Bobby. Really…I'm okay. Just a little shaken up," she assured them.

"Well, we don't need Bobby for you," Ram smirked. "When Hal passed out, he smacked his head on the floor. He's got a pretty good sized goose egg."

Woody barely got off the phone before Bobby and Ranger barreled through the door.

"You okay, Babe?" he asked. Turning to Ram, he demanded, "What happened?"

Stephanie spied her iPod, sitting in puddle on the tile by Ranger's boot, and sighed. "It's my fault. I didn't know anyone was in here," she explained. She took another deep breath as she hugged her chest. "I was listening to my iPod and didn't hear the water running. When I saw…uh…um…that…the shower was in use, I panicked. I tried to run and tripped over that stupid bucket thing."

"Usually, we're not in here on a Sunday," Ram began. "We just got so grimy from all the dirt and grease in the garage. Thought it would be better to wash up in here. Sorry." Ram hooked his thumb towards the shower room. "Hal kind of passed out."

Bobby stepped over the bucket and went to check on Hal.

"Let's get you upstairs, Babe. Put on some dry clothes and take it easy," Ranger suggested.

"I do need to change, but I've got to finish the laundry," she told him.

Bobby helped the now towel-clad Hal into the locker room. Hal turned fire-engine red when he saw Stephanie.

"I'm _so_ sorry, Hal," she cried. "I didn't know anyone was in there. I swear!"

Hal just nodded, but like Stephanie, he was too embarrassed to look her in the eye.

"Steph…go relax. We'll take care of the laundry and clean out the locker room when we're done," Ram offered.

"Yeah, Steph, we can all pitch in to help. You don't have to do everything by yourself," Bobby added.

"Just make us breakfast again," Ram joked.

Stephanie had to agree. Microwaving breakfast sandwiches was much easier than doing the laundry…or cleaning. "Thanks guys. I'll have breakfast ready in the rec room tomorrow morning," she promised. She reached down to retrieve her water-logged iPod. It was DOA.

"I'll get you another one, Babe," Ranger told her as he pulled her to him.

"It's okay. You don't have to do that. This was old. I'll get another one eventually," she replied.

When they finished cleaning and separating the laundry, Lester announced he wanted to get Stephanie a new iPod. Xylia was working at the book store. He could swing by the Apple store and surprise Xylia as well.

"I'll take a ride with you," Bobby told him. "I want to check out that new iPad. Tammy mentioned that it might be helpful for school. Her birthday is coming up."

Ram pulled out his wallet and removed a fifty dollar bill. "Here." He handed Lester the money. "Put that towards Bomber's iPod."

Woody, Hal, and Bobby followed suit and added to the pot. Lester accepted the donations and stuffed the money in his pocket.

"I can't wait to meet Xylia," Bobby said on the way to the garage. "You must really like this girl. You can't stop talking about her. Did you have a good time last night?"

Before Lester could answer, the elevator doors opened. Tank and Ranger were headed up to 5. "We're heading to the mall. We took up a collection to get Steph a new iPod," Lester told Ranger.

"How's she doing?" Bobby asked.

"She's fine. Tired and sore, but fine. After a hot shower and some tea and cookies, she curled up on the couch for a nap," Ranger explained. He also reached for his wallet and extracted a hundred dollar bill. "Add this to the collection. Get her whatever is the best. I'll give you the difference if you don't have enough."

"I think we've got enough to get her the iPod Touch," Bobby joked. "We'll see you later."

Bobby noticed Lester avoided talking about his date with Xylia. Which seemed a bit odd. Lester did nothing but brag about her all week. Something felt off.

While Lester purchased Stephanie's new iPod Touch 64 GB, Bobby placed an order for an iPad.

"Ranger said to get her the best. I got her the 64 gig one," Lester told him.

"Did we have enough?"

Lester shook his head. "Almost but not quite. This is their top of the line one. I can't wait to see her face when we give it to her."

Bobby smiled. "She's going to love it. Tammy's birthday is next month. I hope I get this in time. He said they are back ordered right now. That iPad is pretty neat. I might wind up getting one for myself."

Lester spied a stuffed Snoopy hugging a little yellow Woodstock inside the Hallmark store. "Hang on a second."

He rejoined Bobby and led him to the book store. "I bought her roses and chocolate last night, but she's allergic to chocolate. I didn't know that and kind of felt bad. I think she'll like this," Lester admitted.

"I never would have taken you for such a romantic," Bobby joked.

"I am a paragon," Lester retorted.

Bobby smirked. "Steph's right about you. You are so not right."

Xylia had been helping an elderly couple find a biography when they entered the store. Her face lit up when she saw Lester. She excused herself and hurried over to greet him.

"What a nice surprise! I didn't expect to see you today." She kissed Lester's cheek.

"Xylia…this is Bobby Brown. He's my partner at work."

Bobby extended his hand. "It's nice to meet you, Xylia. Lester can't stop talking about you."

Xylia blushed as she shook Bobby's hand. "Well it's mutual. I can't stop talking about him. I say an extra prayer everyday thanking the Lord for bringing him to me."

Lester pulled the Snoopy and Woodstock out of the Hallmark bag. "I got you something. I hope this makes up for the flowers and candy."

"Oh!" she squealed as she hugged it to her chest. "This is so cute. Thank you! And, I told you not to worry about that. You just didn't know."

"I took a chance on Snoopy. I know his collar is red, but I didn't think dog collars counted as evil. I know Steph's crazy about Snoopy, too. We came here to get her a new iPod. Hers kind of broke after she fell today. We all chipped in to buy her a new one," Lester explained.

Lester either ignored it or missed it, but Bobby didn't. Xylia's smiled slipped a notch when Lester mentioned Stephanie.

"Did she like the chocolates?"

"Well…I didn't give them to her yet. It's food. She's going to love it."

"Miss? Can you help us find this book?" the elderly woman, from the couple she had been assisting, called to her.

"Yes, Ma'am. I'll be right there. I'm sorry, Lester. We're a little busy today. It was so nice of you to stop by. And thanks for this." She held up the stuffed animal then reached up to kiss Lester on the cheek.

"I'll call you tonight," Lester promised and kissed her back.

"It was very nice to meet you, Bobby." She shot him a finger wave and hurried back to the older couple.

Bobby thought Xylia was very attractive, but he couldn't put his finger on it. She didn't even come close to any woman that Lester had been with in the past. And, he definitely got the vibe that Xylia had an issue with Lester's friendship with Stephanie.

"So?" Lester began after they left the mall. "What did you think of her?"

"Uh…she's nice. Not what I expected. What was wrong with the flowers? And evil dog collars?" Bobby decided to change the subject.

"Well…Xylia is very religious. I got her red roses, but she thinks that red is the devil's color and couldn't accept them," Lester admitted. "_Please_ don't say anything. I know that's kind of weird, but if I have to be respectful of her religion."

Bobby nodded. "I take it you haven't slept with her yet."

Lester shrugged. "If I wanted just sex, I could pick up someone at a bar. I mean I _want_ to have sex, but I'm letting her set the pace. We've got another date on Saturday. I'm thinking of taking her to AC. There's so much to do there. And…I've got a coupon for a free room at the Taj."

"Maybe we can double sometime," Bobby suggested.

"Yeah, Joe Morelli said the same thing. It would be great to have me and Xylia, you and Tammy, Steph and Ranger, with Joe and his date. We can do the dinner and dancing thing. Hey, I guess we should ask Tank and Lula. You know? She did pretty good Friday night. I sure as hell didn't expect that."

"You and me both," Bobby agreed. He was grateful to talk about something else.

Stephanie had cried after Lester gave her the new iPod. The continued love and support from her Rangeman family overwhelmed her. The guys didn't have to replace her iPod. It wasn't their fault it got ruined. But, they did it anyway. And Ranger also chipped in with them. Not only did they buy her a new iPod, they got her an iPod Touch!

She promised them breakfast, but microwaved sandwiches seemed a little lame. Especially since they always went above and beyond the call of duty for her. Granted…they were Costco breakfast sandwiches which rock…but processed frozen food all the same. She needed to up her game. But how? She certainly wasn't a stellar cook that Ella. There had to be something that was easy to make.

Stephanie entered Ella's and Luis' apartment to sneak a peek at her cook books. Most looked complicated. Lots of ingredients. Ella had a little plastic container with recipes on index cards. She flicked through those until she found the cinnamon muffins. The guys loved these! They always raved about her cinnamon muffins. And…it didn't contain a shitload of ingredients or steps either. She decided to make the muffins to go with the microwaved feast. Everything she needed was right in front of her, so she decided to utilize Ella's fully stocked, gourmet kitchen. The Merry Men would be so surprised!

The next morning, Stephanie barely finished setting out her breakfast spread when the guys started wandering into the rec room. She timed it so they could eat after their morning work outs but before the shift started.

"Morning, Beautiful," Lester greeted her. He leaned over her to kiss her cheek.

"I wanted to do something extra special for you guys, so I made muffins," she announced.

"You made them? As in from scratch and baked them yourself?" Lester joked.

Stephanie nodded. "I followed Ella's cinnamon muffin recipe. I really hope you like it."

Lester and Hal each grabbed a muffin and took a bite. Woody, Ram, Bobby, and Hector followed suit.

"Well? What do you guys think?" Stephanie asked. Her eyes begged for approval as she anxiously looked from face to face.

Lester swallowed hard. "Oh…wow. These are…really…_something_," he lied. The muffin tasted like shit. Worse than shit actually. Almost like something that had died….a week ago. But, she worked so hard and tried to do something nice for them. He couldn't tell her the truth.

Hal had tears in his eyes.

"Hal! Why are you crying?" she cried out in concern. "Are they _that_ bad?"

Hal wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand as he swallowed. "N-n-no. It's just that this…" He trailed off and glanced ruefully down at object in his hand. "…reminds me of home."

"Really?" She looked incredulous. "So…you guys really _like_ them?"

"Yeah, Bomber. Ella better watch out," Ram added. He wasn't going to be the one to tell her how bad those muffins were. Especially since she looked so pleased…and shocked.

Hector gave her a kiss. "This was nice, Bonita, but you really shouldn't have. You don't have to bake for us."

"It was nothing," she insisted. "Besides, you guys are worth it. You're like my family. I've got to run. I'll talk to you later."

They waved goodbye and waited for the elevator doors to close. Woody ran to the garbage to spit out the remnants of muffin in his mouth.

"Holy Chit," Hector muttered. "That tasted like someone's ass."

"Reminds you of home?" Lester smirked. "What the hell made you say that?"

Hal tossed the rest of his muffin. "I grew up on a farm. The taste reminded me of how the barn smelled. I-I didn't want to hurt her feelings."

They all silently agreed. She tried. Cooking was definitely not Stephanie's thing.

"What are we going to do with the rest of those?" Bobby asked as he pointed to the tray. About a dozen remained.

"Just throw that shit out. We'll just say that we ate them all and that we loved them. I don't want to hurt her feelings either. Ella will be back the day after tomorrow. It's not like Bomber's gonna bake for us again," Ram suggested.

Stephanie poked her head into Ranger's office to find him with Tank. "Hey, I brought you something," she told them. She placed two muffins down in front of them. "I made them. The Merry Men really liked them."

Tank and Ranger looked at each other and shrugged. In unison, they raised their muffins to take a bite. Ranger swallowed hard as he closed his eyes.

"What kind of muffin is this, Babe?" He managed to keep his voice steady but wanted to gag. He learned to live off the land in survival school. They made him eat things that would make a civilian vomit. Ranger would have chosen cannibalism before eating something as disgusting as this muffin.

"I made Ella's cinnamon muffins. Do you like it?"

Tank looked to Ranger for guidance. It tasted like an old foot…with toe jam…that had died. Damn Ranger and that blank face! So, he used the advice his late mother gave him…_lie like a son of a bitch if it gets you outta trouble, Pierre_! "This is great, Bombshell."

Ranger nodded. "You're going to give Ella a run for her money."

Stephanie frowned. "You _really_ like them?"

Both men nodded and lavished her with praise. She gave each a quick kiss before heading back to the apartment.

"Holy crap," Ranger uttered.

"These taste like locker room feet," Tank agreed. He pat Ranger on the shoulder. "I didn't want to tell her the truth, man. She tried. I didn't have the heart to hurt her feelings."

Ranger sighed. "I know. Me, too. But if she makes that shit again, I've got to bite the bullet and tell her. I can't have good staff quitting on me because they're afraid of Stephanie's muffins."


	11. Chapter 11

Author's Note: I'm posting a bit early because I want to sleep in tomorrow morning….then I'll be cooking my ass off. Happy Thanksgiving to you all. Oh…I forgot to mention that I used the term peni, which means multiple penises in Stayce's (XJerseyGirl) honor. Being an RN, I have handled thousands of peni in my career. Just call me an expert in schlongology. Thanks again for reading, and all of you leaving those amazing reviews. Love ya! Sue

**Chapter 11**

Monday flew by. Gang activity triggered several alarms for business that used Rangeman's services. Tuesday wasn't looking much better. The men cautiously peered into the kitchen in the rec room for fear there would be another tray of those land minds that Stephanie made. Relief couldn't come close in describing the feeling to see their absence. Stephanie 'made' microwave pancakes and pre-cooked Jimmy Dean turkey sausages. They inhaled their meal and hurried up to 5.

Valerie found Stephanie in Ella's kitchen. "I have a huge favor to ask," she began. She frowned when she saw Stephanie pulling a tray of muffins from the oven. "You're baking?"

Stephanie placed the hot tray on top of the stove. "Yeah…can you believe it?"

Valerie selected a muffin from the cooling rack and broke it apart. She popped a small piece into her mouth and gagged. "Oh my God! What is that?"

"It's a cinnamon muffin. Why? Do you like it?"

Valerie pulled a sheet of paper towel off the roll and spit out the offending food. "_No!_ That is _awful_."

Stephanie frowned. "That's so weird. I thought they tasted like shit, too. But, the guys went _crazy_ over them, so I decided to make more. I followed Ella's recipe to a 'T'. See…sugar, eggs, flower, cinnamon, oil…." Stephanie waved her hand passed all the containers on the counter.

Valerie examined each one. She picked up the bottle of cinnamon and turned it over. Gasping, she cried out, "Oh my God, Stephanie! This isn't cinnamon…look!"

Stephanie snatched the bottle out of her hand. A new label had been placed on the back listing the new contents. Cumin, Sage, Chili powder, Garlic powder, Onion powder, and Thyme. "Shit," she groaned. "No wonder these tasted so nasty."

Valerie and Stephanie stared at each other for a moment before they burst out laughing.

"Val…I was totally shocked that everyone said they really _liked_ these things. I was like…._really_? I couldn't believe it," she snorted. "I thought they tasted like something that died and had been sitting on the side of the road for weeks!"

"What are you going to do? Throw these out?"

Stephanie bit her lower lip. "I know they didn't want to hurt my feelings," she mused. "Even Hal told me they reminded him of home. But, I don't like people lying to me either. Carlos even told me he liked them. I think I need to serve up a second batch of death muffins to teach them a lesson."

Valerie covered her mouth as she giggled. "That's so mean!"

"I know," Stephanie agreed. "But, it's not like I'm going to make this shit again. Might as well have some fun with them." Stephanie removed the muffins from the pan and placed them on the cooling rack. "So what did you want to ask me?"

"Oh…I think I'm ready to…uh…_consummate_ my relationship with Hal," she told her.

"Well…you won't be disappointed," Stephanie muttered under her breath.

"Huh?"

"Nothing. Are you ready for that step? Hal's not pressuring you…_is he_?" Stephanie couldn't fathom Hal begging for sex but had to ask.

"No! Nothing like that. He's been a _perfect_ gentleman. I just needed time. Steve and I were over long before he left me. I kind of was in denial about it. I just didn't feel right about starting something up with Hal until I dealt with everything. The girls love Hal, and they are adjusting to not having Steve around."

Valerie hopped onto a stool. "He hasn't even tried to call them, Stephanie. It's one thing if he hates me and doesn't want to see me anymore. But it's another thing to blow off his children. I don't even know where he is."

"Do you want to track him down?" Stephanie asked.

"Eventually I guess I'll have to. I'm saving up for a divorce lawyer. I'll have to find him to serve him. I'm going to need closure, so the girls and I can move on," Valerie explained.

"But for now…we need to get you laid," Stephanie joked.

Valerie turned pink. "I'm so nervous. It's been over a year since I…you know."

Stephanie sucked in her breath. "A year? Oh Val…it's time. Do you want me to babysit the girls tonight?"

Valerie shook her head. "No…but how about next weekend? I know you and Carlos are going to Miami this week. It's Hal's birthday a week from Saturday. I thought we could go away for the weekend. And…well…you know."

"You're giving him a birthday boink?"

Valerie rolled her eyes. "No! I bought him a really nice watch. I can't ask Mom and Dad to babysit for a whole weekend. You know that Mom would have a fit."

Stephanie had to agree. "Yeah, if having one knocked up, unwed, slut daughter wasn't bad enough. She'd shit Frisbees with having her other married slut daughter having sex with a man that wasn't her husband."

"You don't mind keeping the girls that weekend?"

"No…not at all. We'll go to the mall. We'll rent movies and have Carlos make us popcorn. It will be like a slumber party," Stephanie assured her.

Valerie slid off the stool and wrapped her arms around Stephanie. "Thank you so much. For everything. I can't believe it took the end of my marriage to finally have a relationship with you."

"If someone told me a year ago that you would split from Steve, and I'd be pregnant with twins…I would have called the mental police. Funny how things have a way of working out," Stephanie sighed.

"So…are you excited about tomorrow?" Valerie rubbed her belly.

"Actually…yeah. I am. It's kind of scary, too. I know I'm having twins. But now, instead of _its_…it could be _hims_ or _hers_…or him and her. It's so strange."

Valerie hugged her again. "I'm so glad you found Carlos. You deserve a man that loves you and will treat you right. It's been a long time coming, Stephanie, but now it's finally your turn."

"You, too, Val," Stephanie replied. "Hal's a really decent guy. He really cares about you…and the girls. Hal would never do to you what Steve did. I think we finally found real men that we can count on."

The Merry Men on 5 watched in horror as Stephanie came off the elevator with a tray of freshly baked muffins. They attempted to ignore her, but she wasn't going to let that happen.

"Hi guys!" she called out to everyone. "I've got more of muffins that you loved so much. Come and get 'em!"

Valerie hurried to her desk to hide her smile. Barely audible groans paved the way as Stephanie marched into the break room.

"Shit…where is a terrorist attack when you need one," Junior whined. He heard all about those horrible muffins. He wasn't going to be the one to make Stephanie cry. Ranger would kick his ass seven ways 'til Sunday. He and Cal were stuck.

Ram and Woody attempted to lie and told her how full they were from breakfast, but Stephanie's lower lip protruded. Turning a greenish hue, they all took a muffin. She watched them like a hawk so they had to eat the whole thing. Lester sent a text to Bobby asking him to bring up a bottle of Tums.

Not to leave anyone out, Stephanie brought Junior and Cal their muffins. "I hope you like them as much as the other guys did. I worked really hard on them." Okay, she laid it on thick, but what the hell? She would just blame the pregnancy hormones.

Wednesday, Ranger wanted to leave for New Brunswick right after the morning meeting. He couldn't shake that kid on Christmas Eve vibe. Not only would they get to see the babies today, but they might be able to find out their sex. He wanted a boy so bad he could taste it, but he kept telling himself the twins would be girls. The last thing Ranger wanted to do was to show any disappointment. Besides, he had control over the outcome. It had already been decided.

When Stephanie entered the conference room, the guys began to sweat. Just because she didn't have a tray of muffins in her arms didn't mean she didn't leave one in the break room. Their only salvation was that Ranger and Stephanie had to leave as soon as the meeting ended. Then they would be able to destroy every last muffin turd and lie about eating them all.

Ranger ran through the agenda quickly. "Anything else?"

Stephanie raised her hand. "I just want to thank everyone again for the iPod. You guys didn't have to do that. You went above and beyond the call of friendship. I'm still trying to figure out all the extras, but it's really neat. I made those muffins because I wanted to do something to show you how much I really appreciate and love all of you," she began.

They all exchanged nervous glances and prayed she didn't bake for them again.

"Well, I have a confession to make. I sort of…screwed up the recipe," she admitted.

Now, they all exchanged confused looks.

"I followed Ella's recipe exactly. I thought they tasted like road kill. But…you guys went on and on about how good they were. So, I made them again. Val noticed that Ella had a special spice mixture in the cinnamon bottle," she explained.

"And you served the 2nd batch anyway?" Ranger asked incredulously.

She nodded. "Uh huh. Since you lied to me, I thought you guys needed to be taught a lesson. You should have been honest with me."

Tank burst out laughing. "Oh my God, Bombshell! Those muffins were worse than capital punishment. I don't think they would have allowed those things at Guantanamo. The prisoners would have preferred the water boarding!"

"Damn, Beautiful," Lester whined. "Not only was that a _rotten_ trick…that was _good_ one. But you do remember what they say about paybacks…don't you?"

Stephanie gave him a sly smile. "Yeah, but no one here is going to do anything to the boss's pregnant fiancée because they will be afraid of what will happen to them."

Ranger raised an eyebrow as he looked around the table. "She's got you there."

"But…I _am_ sorry," she apologized. "It really was an accident. At first, I was so surprised that you liked them. Well…shocked is more like it. I had just made another batch, and Val almost threw up after she tried one. But then the pregnancy hormones kicked in. Because it pissed me off that all of you lied to me, so I decided to make sure everyone had another one."

"Wait 'til Ranger sees the receipt for all the TUMS we went through," Bobby added.

"That ain't no lie," Woody groaned. "Don't take this the wrong way, Bomber, but _please_ don't bake for us anymore."

"Trust me…unless it's out of a can or slice and bake, my cooking days are over," Stephanie promised.

"Okay," Ranger said as he stood. "Only call me if someone is bleeding…or dead. Let's go, Babe."

"Make sure you let us know as soon as you find out what you're having," Tank insisted.

Stephanie kissed his cheek. "Will do. See you later."

They each took a turn rubbing her belly on the way out of the conference room.

After a brief exam, Selma led Ranger and Stephanie to the ultrasound room. "Are you excited to find out what you are having?" she asked them.

"Yeah," Stephanie replied. "How can you tell if it's a boy or a girl?"

Stephanie lay back on the table as Ranger helped her lift her top. The tech placed a sheet over her legs before squirting the cool gel on her belly. Stephanie flinched at the sudden chill.

"Sorry," the tech apologized. "Forgot to warn you about that."

"Well, it's not as scientific as you would think," Selma explained. "We should be able to see something at this stage of your pregnancy, but it also depends on their position. We took for hamburgers or turtles."

"What?" Steph and Ranger asked in unison.

Selma laughed. "I told you you'd be surprised. The female genitalia form what looks like a hamburger. The labia are the buns and the clitoris is the meat."

Ranger winced. "I'm sorry I asked."

"And for males, the penis looks like a little turtle poking its head out from the testicles. So we call that the turtle sign," Selma continued.

"Ready?" the tech asked.

"Let's do it," Stephanie told her.

The tech moved the transducer over Stephanie's belly. It wasn't long before a rhythmic heartbeat filled the room. "Okay…here's baby number one."

Selma pointed out the different areas of the body. The tech moved the transducer around to get a better view of the genitals. "Okay…looks like this one is a boy…"

"Yes!" Ranger hissed. He dropped Stephanie's hand to pump his fist in the air. He looked down at her smiling face. "I love you, Babe." He captured her mouth with his.

"This is his penis," Selma pointed out. "And…he made my job easier because it's erect."

Stephanie sat up, and they lost the picture.

"What?" she gasped.

Selma smirked. "Male fetuses can and do get erections."

"Are you serious?"

Selma's shoulders shook as she chuckled. "Yes, I am. Don't worry…it's _totally_ normal."

Stephanie flopped backwards onto the table. "Oh my God! He is _so_ your son. He's not even _born _yet, and he's getting aroused! He's just like his father."

Ranger's smile widened. He looked like that cat that swallowed the canary.

"Okay…let's check out baby number 2," Selma laughed.

The tech repositioned the transducer and slowly dragged it across the belly. It took a minute, but she located baby number two. Selma pointed out all the parts again till they got to the baby's bottom.

"Okay…this one isn't cooperating. It's got its legs crossed. We can't see what's there," Selma sighed.

"I'll bet this one is a girl," Ranger insisted. "She's just like her mother…shy about her body."

"Thanks," Stephanie moaned. "Would you _want_ your daughter spreading her legs for the camera?" That comment wiped the smile off Ranger's face.

"No," he agreed. He pulled out his phone. "I'm going to give Tank the news."

_Having a boy and a player to be named later._

"Everything looks good. You look to be about 18 weeks along. Again, since we don't really know exactly because you hadn't had regular periods, this is still a guestimate. Still looking at mid October as a due date. But most times, twins go early. Not always, but I wouldn't be surprised if you go in September. If you are thinking about moving to New Brunswick, I would say no later than August would be a good target," Selma advised.

"I'll get something set up in July," Ranger assured her. "I've already checked into a couple places but haven't looked at them yet."

The tech wiped off the remaining gel, and Ranger pulled Stephanie up. "So are we good till next month?"

"Yeah…unless you have any problems. Have you felt them moving yet? You should start feeling something now."

Stephanie rubbed her stomach. "I'm not sure. Just feels like gas or like a little flutter. But nothing like a kick or an elbow."

"That's normal. You're doing well with your weight. You've gained about 10 pounds so far. I don't think you're going to have a problem, and I don't want you dieting. But, it's a good idea to not go crazy. How about exercise?"

"Should she be exercising?" Ranger asked. "She hasn't, but well…she's just getting over the kidnapping."

"Walking is fine. I don't want you starting an exercise program now. Not unless it's something you've been doing right along. But walking everyday or swimming is good for you. Giving birth takes its toll on your body, so keeping in shape helps you through it," Selma said.

Stephanie groaned. She hated exercise, but she could deal with walking. "I guess I could use the treadmill in the gym sometimes. The guys just bought me a new iPod. Carlos and I can go for walks, too. Right?"

Ranger kissed her temple. "You know it, Babe. What about flying? I chartered a private plane. It has a couch that she can stretch out on. I'd like to take her to Miami tomorrow."

"I don't see any problems. How's the nausea been?"

"It's been a while since I've had morning sickness. Still get a little queasy with some strong smells, but even that's gotten better. I do get tired all of a sudden, but other than that, I've been doing much better," Stephanie admitted.

"Great. Have you thought any more about natural child birth?" Selma looked at Ranger for his reaction.

"No…I want drugs," Stephanie insisted.

"I do have to prepare you that there is a good chance that you will need a c-section. Not because you are having twins, but you have a narrow pelvis. We'll just have to monitor the size of the babies' heads as the time gets closer. So…you might get your wish to get knocked out and wake up after they're born." Selma laughed. "Actually, we'd give you an epidural and numb you from the waist down. You'd be awake and can watch the birth. But, you won't feel a thing. I promise."

"I think I could handle that," Stephanie agreed.

"Again, it's not set in stone, but we'll do what is best for you and the babies."

Stephanie hugged Selma. "Thank you so much for taking care of me. Not only do I trust you as my doctor, but I think it's kind of special that you are family and going to be a part of this. And thanks for putting up with all our questions."

"It's exciting for me, too. Thank you for allowing me _to be_ a part of this." She glanced at her watch. "Sorry, I've got another appointment. Good to see you doing so well, Stephanie. Call me for any questions or concerns. Just schedule your next appointment on the way out." She paused at the door. "Oh…there's a really good book called _What To Expect When Your Expecting_. I recommend it to all my patients. It's full of helpful information about all the little ins and outs of being pregnant."

Stephanie shot Ranger a death glare. Ranger's eyes widened and raised his hands with the palms up in an _I-didn't-do-anything_ gesture.

"Did I say something wrong?" Selma asked.

"No. Someone gave me that stupid thing. The lady with the head hanging out of her crotch in the last chapter that looked like her insides were being ripped out of her was in a lot of pain. That was it for me. I don't want to know about anything else in that stupid thing," Stephanie grumbled. "I threw the torture book out."

"There was some good information in there, Babe," Ranger insisted gently.

"Okay…forget I mentioned it. Just call me for any questions."

She kissed Stephanie and Ranger goodbye and left.

"Thank you, Babe," Ranger whispered. "For giving me a son."

She rose up on her toes and kissed him. "This is so weird. _Our_ son."

"Our son…and the player to be named later," Ranger added as he splayed his hand on her belly.

"Can we stop at my parents' on the way home? I want to tell my Dad in person that he's finally getting a grandson. He's going to be as excited as you are."

The tech gave them a DVD of the ultrasound as well as a few printouts. "Here," Stephanie told Ranger as she gave him the picture of the boy. "You can show this to the guys. Your son's first erection."


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

As expected, Frank Plum almost threw out his back after he bear-hugged Stephanie and tried to swing her around. "A grandson!" he exclaimed. "Helen, we're getting a grandson!"

Even more surprising, Helen Plum appeared to be equally thrilled. "I'm so happy for you both."

Grandma Mazur gazed longingly at the pictures. "Oh look," she told them, "you can see his little woody!"

"Mother!" Helen snatched the picture from her hands.

Frank groaned. "I think we need to have the rest home discussion again."

"Carlos thinks the player to be named later is a girl. That baby had its legs crossed so we couldn't see…uh..." Stephanie trailed off.

"The clit?" Grandma Mazur asked. "It's all about turtles and hamburgers."

Ranger just shook his head. "I think we should get going, Babe. We need to get ready for our trip."

Stephanie nodded. "Yeah, we've got to go. We're going to Miami tomorrow. We'll be back next week. Love you, Daddy." She hugged him tight as Frank kissed her temple. "Love you, Mom." She hugged Helen then Grandma Mazur. "I'll call you when we get back."

The 5th floor looked as if a blue bomb had exploded all over the place. _It's a Boy_ signs plastered the walls. Blue crepe paper swirled from the ceiling. A Hispanic GI Joe doll sat on Ranger's desk. Ella, who made Luis leave Longport early, prepared a blue cake.

"I can't believe you guys did all of this!" Stephanie exclaimed as she hugged Ella.

"I also made this one," Ella turned to hold up the second cake. It was pink and blue and read…_The Player to Be Named Later_.

"See what you started!" Stephanie groaned as she playfully punched Ranger's bicep.

"So…is everything all right?" Ella anxiously asked.

"So far…so good. Selma thinks I'm about 18 weeks along and probably will deliver a little early. We have pictures and a DVD of the ultrasound." Stephanie handed the DVD to Hal who loaded it.

Stephanie pointed out the parts she remembered. Ranger stepped up to point out his favorite part. The room erupted in cheers. Stephanie rolled her eyes.

"You're _all_ so not right. That's _my_ son. Carlos…he's not even born yet, and you're embarrassing him already," Stephanie whined.

"_My_ son has _nothing_ to be embarrassed about," Ranger insisted.

Despite her earlier resistance, Stephanie was grateful that Ranger chartered a private jet. Luxury all the way! As soon as they reached their cruising altitude, she stretched out on the couch for a nap. Not only did they leave at the butt crack of dawn, but the sexual Olympics didn't allow for much sleep the night before. Both still reeled from the news about having a boy. She tried to push aside the feeling that the other baby was a girl. Fearing she might jinx herself by hoping for a girl, she told herself it was another boy. She didn't want to be disappointed. It would be selfish to be disappointed to have a healthy baby because she wanted the other sex. Still, she struggled to rid herself of her dream of having Ricky and Rosie.

Marissa met them at the airport. Raoul got tied up in a meeting. Marissa couldn't get over Stephanie's stomach. That little bump grew over the past month.

"This is the kids' last week of school before summer vacation," Marissa explained on the ride home. "So, it's like the last week of _my_ vacation!"

Stephanie fished the ultrasound pictures out of her purse. "Here. Selma gave me an ultrasound yesterday. One is a boy. She couldn't tell what the other one was yet."

"Wait 'til Raoul gets home. He's going to be so excited for you. Oh Carlos, he was thrilled when you told him you 2 were coming. He misses you so much," Marissa admitted.

Ranger nodded. He missed his brother more than he was willing to admit. He secretly wished that Raoul would move back to Jersey, so they could work side by side again. He isolated himself for far too long. After getting a taste of being surrounded by a loving and supportive family, Ranger realized how much he wanted that all the time.

Raoul joined them for lunch. He must have hugged both of them about ten times. During the past month, Ranger called him several times to talk about Stephanie. He had been so worried about her and didn't know how to handle it. Seeing Stephanie back to her old self made Raoul's throat tighten. He had been by Ranger's side for all horrible events they experienced. Not only did Stephanie look fantastic, she really looked pregnant now as well.

Ranger emailed him the video of Stephanie's revenge on the woman who slipped her the syrup of ipecac. It also made the rounds at Rangeman Boston. Not only was it hilarious, but it gave Stephanie what she needed. She had been wronged and got some closure. The light in her eyes returned, so that was all that mattered.

Ranger and Raoul made a huge deal over the baby's penis. Stephanie just shook her head.

"Have you picked out any names?" Marissa asked.

"Well, Ricardo Carlos Manoso, Jr. He's the one whose penis you've been ogling for the past hour," Stephanie replied as she shot Ranger a look.

Ranger beamed with pride. "_My_ son."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "We haven't thought of another boy's name yet. If baby #2 is a girl…we want to name her Rosa Marie Manoso. After your grandmother."

Raoul smiled. "Papa would love that. That's one name that hasn't been used yet."

"Ricky and Rosie," Stephanie murmured as she splayed her hands on her belly. "But as long as they are both healthy, I don't care," she quickly added to ward off the jinx.

Raoul's and Marissa's children were equally excited to see Stephanie and Ranger. Their oldest was fifteen year old Celita, followed by thirteen year old Kayla, and ten year old son, Raoul, III. Raoul looked a lot like his uncle at that age. Small for his age, Ranger hit a growth spurt in his mid teens. But like Ranger, Raoul was already a heart breaker. He had the Manoso male good looks and a killer smile. Raoul's daughters were knockouts. Celita, much to Raoul's chagrin, just started dating. While Celita was the cheerleader, Kayla, more the tomboy, played several sports.

"Did you bring Ivy?" Little Raoul asked as he looked around for evidence of the black dog.

"Not this time," Ranger told him.

"I keep telling Daddy that we need to get a dog," Kayla spoke up. "I think we're wearing him down."

"Did you bring a bathing suit, Aunt Stephanie?" Celita asked. "Let's go swimming."

"Uh…no. I don't have a suit. Besides, I don't want to get too close to the water's edge. I'm afraid people will think I'm a whale that's trying to beach herself and push me back in the ocean," Stephanie sighed. The kids giggled.

"Babe…you're not fat," Ranger groaned.

"I'll sit out there while you guys go swimming," Stephanie agreed.

"I have a maternity suit that you can use if you want," Marissa offered. "As a matter of fact, I have a bunch of maternity clothes that you can have. They might be a little big, but they'll get the job done."

Raoul cracked open two frosty Coronas and handed one to Ranger. They stretched out on lounge chairs while watching Stephanie, Marissa, and the kids.

"She looks good, Carlos."

Ranger slightly nodded. "She just started coming around." He sighed as he dropped his head back against the cushion. "I didn't think I'd get her back, Rao. I didn't know what else to do."

"Love conquers all," Raoul joked. "She still having morning sickness?"

"No…thank God. Not for a few weeks. She gets tired faster, but otherwise, she's doing well." He tipped back the bottle for a long swallow. "She just thinks that's she fat now. The bad thing is that she's only going to get bigger. I keep telling her that it's temporary, but that doesn't seem to help."

"All pregnant women think they're fat. You're never going to convince them otherwise. Just keep telling her how beautiful she is…and you need to _make_ her feel beautiful," Raoul advised. "Marissa went through the same thing. Try to be more understanding, too. They're bodies go through so many changes. The hormones can make them a little nutty as well."

They sat in silence for a few minutes and enjoyed their beer.

"I talked to Mama last night," Raoul began. "She said Ana called and is coming home in August. She's getting out for good."

Ana was their sister and fourth child in the Manoso clan. Younger than Selma…but older than Rena. Ana served in the Peace Corps and did missionary work. When she finally came out to Raoul and Maria, the word awkward was an understatement. Her parents didn't disown her or tell her she was a disappointment, but no one handled it well. Her giving personality led her to missionary work, but it kept her from her family. The Manosos never fully dealt with the issue of Ana being a lesbian.

"Shit," Ranger muttered. He hadn't seen nor heard from Ana since Grandma Rosa died. He received a couple of post cards, got updates from Mama, but that was about it.

"That's not all," Raoul continued. "She's planning a party for your 30th birthday."

Ranger dropped his head back again and groaned. "Why is she doing that? She knows I hate parties."

"Give her a break, Carlos," Raoul warned. "Her _baby_ is turning 30. You're still alive…and you're happy and healthy. She spent years crying herself to sleep because she's been worried about you. I'm only telling you now because you _will_ go to that party, and you _will_ let Mama have her fun. You _owe_ her that."

Ranger leaned forward, elbows on knees, and dropped his face into his hands. "You're worse than Mama with the guilt."

"She loves you and is happy for you. She just wants to celebrate that. And, she wants to make sure that Ana feels welcomed back," Raoul explained.

"Is Ana still with the same partner?"

"I think so. Mama said that she's going to take some time off and decide what she's going to do next."

Ranger thought for a minute. As much as Stephanie wanted to do it all…work and be a full time mother for twins, they were going to need some help. Maybe Ana would be interested in being their nanny until she figured out what to do? He would certainly pay her well and give her a place to live. Definitely something to discuss with Stephanie.

After the kids went to bed and Raoul and Marissa curled up on the couch to watch TV, Ranger took Stephanie for a walk along the beach. The wet sand and warm water felt great on their bare feet. Miami was certainly a different world than Trenton.

They strolled along in silence. Just the hypnotic thunder of the crashing waves in the background. Ranger turned her around and led her back towards the house.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

Ranger smirked as he dropped her hand and slung his arm over her shoulders. He only started to realize he could no longer hide his feelings from Stephanie. Even the blank face didn't work anymore.

"Raoul told me that Mama is planning a party for my 30th birthday," he told her. "I'm not a huge fan of birthday parties for myself."

Stephanie swatted his behind. "That's because you deprive yourself of birthday cake. Having a birthday party is worth it just for the birthday cake."

"I'd rather have you than birthday cake, Babe."

He pulled her behind a dune in front of the house and on to his lap.

"Mama just wants to do something special for you. She loves you very much, Carlos," Stephanie said.

He tightened his grip and guided her head to his shoulder.

"I know it's still a few months away, but what do you want for your birthday? You're a hard man to buy for," she asked.

When he didn't respond right away, Stephanie thought he ignored the question. "You don't have to think about it now…"

"No, Babe," he cut her off, "there is something I would really like for my birthday."

Stephanie shifted her weight so she could get a better view of his face.

"What is it?"

"Marry me…on my birthday." He looked down into her widened eyes. "I know we've haven't really talked about it. Truth is…I would like to be married before the twins are born. Yeah, it's my stupid pride. But I love you, Babe. You know that. I would rather celebrate being married to you than how old I am each year. That would mean something to me."

She hadn't stiffened or pulled away.

"We can do a big wedding or just something with family. Whatever you want. I just want to be married to you."

Stephanie swung her leg over him to straddle his lap. "Is that what you really want for your birthday?"

He nodded.

"Okay."

"Okay?"

"Yes, Carlos. Let's set the date for August 12th."

He hugged her tight.

"Thank you. That will mean more to me than any birthday cake."

"Well…now you owe me wedding cake."

"Are you sure you want to do this? If you want to wait, I'll understand. I don't want to rush you if you're not ready," he added. He got so caught up in the moment that he didn't take into consideration what kind of wedding Stephanie wanted. And…she would be around seven months pregnant. Guilt started to seep through his veins. Was he taking away from Stephanie's plans for their wedding?

"I know we haven't talked about when we would get married, or even what kind of wedding to have. And, I know that's all my fault. Truth is…I still don't know. I had the big wedding with all the bells and whistles. You had the small wedding. Neither of those marriages worked out."

"What kind of wedding would you like, Babe?"

"I want it to _mean_ something this time. If it means something to you to get married on your birthday, than it means something to me. To be surrounded by the people we love is what matters the most. I don't need a fancy wedding, Carlos. But, I don't want it to be just a formality to just get it done either. I don't want to do the City Hall thing. Maybe we can rent a hall or something. Have the ceremony there and a little reception after. What do you think?"

Ranger smiled. "It _will_ mean something, Babe. If you want us to write our own vows, we'll do that. I'm guessing you'd want the wedding in Trenton?"

Stephanie sighed. "A wedding here on the beach would be nice, but not practical. Having it in Trenton would make things easier. I guess we can move to New Brunswick for our honeymoon. Now to try and find a tent big enough for my wedding dress."

Ranger tucked a curl behind her ear. "If you want to wait 'til after the babies are born…we can."

"No. I want this, too. I'll find something." She kissed the tip of his nose. "How do you think Mama will react to you ruining her birthday party plans?"

"I get the feeling that she'll like this idea better," Ranger reassured her.

"So…it's a date. Me…you…a few of our closest family and friends on August 12th," she purred.

"I love you," he whispered before brushing his lips across hers. His tongue gently rolled over hers as the kiss deepened.

A grunt near the water's edge interrupted them. Stephanie's head whipped around to see what it was. With an ear piercing scream, she jumped off his lap. In an attempt to scramble up the dune, she wound up on her backside.

"What the hell is that thing?"

Ranger also got to his feet and looked to where Stephanie pointed. Taking hold of both hands, he helped her stand. "It's okay, Babe. It's just a sea turtle. It won't hurt you," he explained.

"That is _not_ a sea turtle…that is Gammera!" she insisted. "That thing is like something that escaped from Jurassic Park!"

Ranger smirked. He hadn't seen a sea turtle in years. It looked to be full size and probably weighed about three hundred pounds. It was common to see them on the beaches in May because they came to lay their eggs now. Sea turtles were protected. The law required people to leave them alone and not disturb them while they laid their eggs.

"Sea turtles spawn in May. She's coming ashore to lay her eggs. We need to head inside and leave her alone," he told her.

"Carlos? Is everything alright?" Raoul called to him from the deck.

"Yeah," he responded as he assisted Stephanie up the dune. "Stephanie's never seen a sea turtle before."

Raoul laughed. "We heard a scream. Thought something was wrong."

"Something _is_ wrong!" she insisted. "Those things shouldn't be allowed to run loose like that. What if that thing attacked us?"

"Babe…even you could outrun that turtle," Ranger joked. "I promise not to invite her to the wedding."

"What wedding?" Marissa asked.

"_Our _wedding. We're getting married on Carlos' birthday…August 12th," Stephanie announced. "Save the date."

"Damn," Raoul muttered. "You _are_ good. Not only will Mama be happy, but you got yourself out of a surprise birthday party."

Ranger gave Raoul a sly smile as he pat his shoulder. "You need to learn to have more faith in me. Especially if you are going to be my Best Man."

Raoul threw an arm around Ranger's neck and jerked him closer. "It would be an honor to stand up for you, Little Brother."

"Are you going to have a church wedding and a reception?" Marissa inquired. "Do you want a cup of coffee?"

Stephanie shook her head. "Tea would be nice. No, we were thinking of getting a hall or maybe restaurant and have the ceremony there. To have a church wedding, I'd have to get a dispensation from the church. And, I don't know how keen they are on marrying a pregnant, divorced woman in the church these days. Besides, we'd have to do that Pre-Cana thing. August 12th is less than 3 months away. We have to get ready to move to New Brunswick, too. I'd rather just focus on something simple…and less stressful."

"If you want a church wedding, Babe, I'll make it happen," Ranger offered.

"No. I told you before. I did the church wedding thing. It's not the location or how fancy the dress is, or how much you spend…it's marrying the person you love in front of the people that mean the most. That's what I want," Stephanie replied. She felt a flutter in her stomach that made her gasp. Her hand clutched her belly.

"You okay?" Marissa asked. Ranger flew to her side.

"Uh…yeah. I thought it was gas there for a minute, but I think it was the babies moving," she explained with a grin.

Ranger placed his hand next to hers.

"I can't feel anything," he groaned with a bit of disappointment to his voice.

"I don't think we can feel it from the outside yet. It's kind of embarrassing to say this…but it feels like gas moving around inside," she told him sheepishly. "With my luck, it is probably gas."


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

At first, Stephanie felt awkward standing next to Ranger as he spoke to his grandmother's headstone. It took a few minutes to realize that she fed off Ranger's tension. His soul was fully exposed to her during this private moment. Ranger had been revealing more and more of himself over the last month, but bit by bit. Now, the flood gates opened and released it all.

Rosa Elena Manoso's grave site looked meticulously manicured. A statue of Mary and various religious mementos decorated her rose colored headstone. Ranger explained that he purchased it several years ago. She only had a very simple marker that seemed unworthy of her.

She stood by his side as he updated his grandmother on the past year. Stephanie offered to give him some time alone, but Ranger insisted she stay with him.

"And finally…" Ranger whispered, "I met Stephanie. She's very special. You would have loved her. We're getting married on my birthday. And we're having twins." Ranger ran a hand over her belly. "We know one is a boy, but if the other is a girl, we are naming her after you, Grandma."

Stephanie hadn't noticed the tears running down her cheeks until Ranger wiped them away with his thumbs.

"You okay, Babe?"

She nodded. "Sorry," she apologized. "You just shared such a beautiful moment, Carlos. I just feel so sad that I never got to meet her."

Ranger placed the colorful floral arrangement beside the headstone. He knelt and whispered a brief prayer in Spanish. Rising, he embraced Stephanie.

"Thanks for being here with me."

"You're welcome. Thank you for _including _me."

"Let's go get lunch."

Ranger took her to a café in South Beach overlooking the ocean. May temperatures in Miami hovered around the eighties. Their timing couldn't have been more perfect…just before the rainy season and the humidity of summer.

Stephanie blushed when Ranger caught her staring again. She couldn't help it. Dressed in a cream colored polo shirt with olive drab cargo shorts that came to his knees, no male model could compete. Tan Teva sandals completed the look. He had been letting his short cropped hair grow. Not long enough to pull back, a few strands wisped across his forehead. Ranger seemed like a different person in Miami. He wore casual clothes in Jersey, but not like this. Here…he was Carlos.

"You really love it down here…don't you?" she asked.

Ranger nodded. "I fell in love with this place after my parents sent me to live with Grandma."

"Would you rather we live here?"

"Most of my time is needed in Trenton right now. I had always planned to move back here eventually. But only if you would want to live here, too," he explained.

Stephanie bit her lower lip and looked at the horizon. "How could I not love living here?" She giggled. "Compare this view to a view of the Delaware River. No contest."

"When Raoul retired from the department, he needed something to do. He took early retirement because of a back injury. Couldn't meet the requirements of the force, but healthy enough to still be able to work. He had 20 years in, so he could retire with his full pension. I needed someone that I could trust to run the Miami office after I opened Trenton. It was a perfect fit. I also needed someone to keep up my house. By the time I'm ready to retire, his kids will be grown. If he wants to stay in Miami, I'll help him get another place. It would be great to live close to him again."

"I love your family so much, Carlos. They accepted me right from the start. Well…everyone but Rena. I haven't met your other sister yet. The one that's in the Peace Corps. What's she like? You don't talk about her much," Stephanie wondered.

Ranger smirked. "Funny you should ask about Ana…she's coming home for good this summer. I was thinking of offering her a job."

"Really? Doing what?"

"Well, I don't want you to freak, so hear me out first," Ranger began. Stephanie nodded. "She mostly works with children, so I thought we could hire her as a nanny to help out with the twins."

Stephanie sipped her ice tea and looked away.

"Babe…it's got nothing to do with you. Having 1 baby is a lot of work for mothers wanting to go back to work. But having 2 babies makes it harder. We'd need to hire a babysitter anyway. And, we would want someone that we could trust. I don't know if she would even be interested. Raoul said she told Mama she wanted to take some time off to decide what to do next. Raoul told me this when he let me know about the birthday party. What do you think about that?"

She shrugged her shoulders.

"I'm also going to take some time off. I want to spend time with you and the babies. I've worked my ass off for a long time. I haven't really taken a lot of vacation time. That's going to change. Time for me to enjoy my life and the people that mean the most to me."

Stephanie stared at the ocean.

"Babe?"

She refused to look at him.

"You're reading more into this than you should, Stephanie. Look at me."

Without turning, she cut her eyes towards him.

"You're already thinking about hiring someone to care for our kids because you think I can't handle it."

"I didn't say that…"

"The babies aren't even born yet, and you have me not being able to take care of them by myself, Carlos!" she insisted. The tears flowed down her cheeks.

Ranger dropped his face into his hands. This did not at all go as planned. He didn't mean to hurt her feelings, but that was exactly what he did. It dawned on him how he would have felt if another government agency offered him an agent to help him accomplish his mission. Like he couldn't get the job done without someone else's help? He didn't even give Stephanie the chance to decide if she needed help with the twins. He just assumed that women needed more help with two babies. Celia hired a nanny to watch her twins while she worked, John was in school, and Mama helped her all the time. Even Selma hired a nanny. It was easier than trying to get a sitter at a moments notice when she got paged.

Stephanie excused herself to the restroom as the waiter served their lunch.

Stephanie splashed cool water on her face after her crying jag. She knew Ranger was most likely worried, so she tried to collect herself. Damn pregnancy hormones, she thought. He probably didn't mean it the way it sounded, but it still hurt. The twins weren't even born yet, and Ranger convinced himself that she needed help. What upset her the most was that he was possibly right. Would she be able to give these children everything they needed? Yeah…having her dream of Ricky and Rosie was all cute and sweet, but babies were a lot of work. An irrational panic set in. Overwhelmed, Stephanie began to cry again.

Twenty minutes passed. Stephanie still hadn't returned. Ranger's stomach knotted. This was his fault. He should have just kept his mouth shut about hiring a nanny. Unable to sit still, Ranger headed to the restrooms to check on Stephanie.

After finally getting herself back under control, a gentle knock on the door took her by surprise. She knew it was Ranger even before he spoke.

"Babe? Are you all right?"

"I-I'll be out in a m-minute," she croaked.

She dried her face again with the coarse paper towel which probably made her face look more reddened. Stephanie took a few deep breaths before opening the bathroom door.

Ranger leaned against the wall, hands in pockets and head down. Looking up, his eyes met hers, and his pain melted her heart. The defeat in his posture was evident. Without saying a word, his arms enveloped her and held her close.

"I'm sorry," he whispered before kissing her temple. "Celia and Selma hired nannies. I thought that was a normal thing to do because they both went back to work right away. I never once thought you couldn't handle it, Babe."

"You're probably right, Carlos. What if I can't do this? I don't want to screw up our kids," she whined.

"If we need help, then we get help. That's what people do. How many times did everyone tell me that I'm not a machine? That I can't do it all by myself? I know you and Lula joke about me being Batman, but I'm not a superhero. I'm just a man. Although…" He pulled back to look into her eyes. "You'll always be my Wonder Woman."

Stephanie smiled as she sniffled. "Did Selma and Celia really have nannies?"

"Yeah…that's what gave me the idea. It's hard to get babysitters when you don't work a normal 9 to 5 job. That's all I meant by talking about hiring my sister."

Stephanie blushed. "I just panicked a little. Well…maybe a lot. I just thought of changing diapers, and feedings, and babies crying…and it just overwhelmed me. I think I'm just tired, hungry, and hormonal," she sighed.

"Do you want to stay and have lunch, or do you want me to take you home?"

She pursed her lips. "No…let's eat here. The view is so beautiful."

Ranger escorted her back to their table and pulled out her chair. Stephanie glanced down at her turkey sandwich and sighed.

"Something wrong with it?"

She waved over the waiter. "Can I get this wrapped to go and have a hamburger and French fries instead?"

The waiter nodded and retrieved her plate.

Stephanie shrugged her shoulders and gave Ranger a sheepish grin. "I kind of have a craving for a hamburger all of a sudden. Part of being a good mom is listening to your kids, right? And…maybe craving _a hamburger_ is like a good sign that the player to be named later _is_ a girl. You know… like a _real_ hamburger sign."

Ranger laughed so loud that he startled the couple at the table next to them.

"Babe, we might not have all the answers, but we can do this," he told her after getting himself back under control. "It wouldn't surprise me if it is a girl. Your daughter _would_ love hamburgers."

She reached for his hand and threaded her fingers through his. "I just got overwhelmed there for a second. It's all becoming a reality now. But you're right…we can do this."

On the drive home, Ranger made a sudden turn. Stephanie shot him a look with eyebrows raised.

"Julie should just be getting out of school now. Why don't we drop by and say hi? We haven't even told her the good news yet," Ranger suggested.

Stephanie chewed on her lower lip. "Do you think that's a good idea? I mean…maybe we should call first?"

Ranger shrugged. "If it's a bad time, we won't stay. If they aren't home, I'll call later." Ranger smirked. "It's not like I drop in unannounced all the time, Babe. The last time we were here was in November. It will be fine."

As Stephanie expected, Rachel's forced smile barely hid her displeasure by the uninvited guests. If Ranger picked up on it, he didn't show it.

"Hi, Rachel. I'm sorry I didn't call. Stephanie and I got here yesterday. We were in the area, so I thought we'd drop by. If this is a bad time, we'll go," he explained.

Stephanie watched as Rachel's demeanor loosened. Not surprising, Ranger could charm a snake with PMS.

"Sorry to just barge in on you," Stephanie apologized.

Rachel finally noticed Stephanie's belly. "Are you pregnant?"

"Uh…yeah," Stephanie admitted. "With twins. I'm due in October. And, we're getting married in August. Just a lot of news that we wanted to share with Julie. You know…since she's going to be a big sister again."

"Well…congratulations," Rachel told them.

Ranger slung an arm around Stephanie's shoulders and splayed a hand on her belly. "One is a boy. We don't know what the other one is yet."

Stephanie sensed the tension. Rachel's posture was rigid. They should have called. She felt as if they were intruders.

"Julie?" Rachel called. "Ranger and Stephanie are here to see you." She crossed her arms as she turned to face them both. "I really wish you would have called first."

A very disinterested Julie sauntered into the room. Her eyes widened when they fixed on Stephanie's protruding belly. "Are you going to have a baby, Stephanie?"

"Yes we are," Ranger interjected. "Stephanie's having twins. So far, you're going to have a little brother, but we don't know what the other baby is."

Julie's blank mask dropped in place. Wonder where she learned that one, Stephanie mused.

"We're getting married in August, Julie. We came down for a visit, and thought we'd tell you in person," Stephanie added.

"I already have 2 little brothers," Julie spat out.

This was not the happy go lucky child she met last November. This was an emerging teenager. Julie turned eleven in April. Ranger sent a gift and card, but she didn't know if he had gotten the obligatory thank you card that she always sent.

"Well…maybe you'll be lucky and get a little sister," Ranger continued.

Stephanie could tell Ranger was trying, but Julie wasn't receptive at all.

"I hope if you do have a girl that Ranger doesn't run out on you like he did to me and my mom," Julie growled. "Then…he'll probably knock up someone else."

"Julie…don't be rude," Rachel told her softly.

"I'm not being rude, Mom. He didn't want us. He'll probably do the same thing to Stephanie!" Julie insisted. She turned to Ranger. "Do me a favor and don't come back here anymore. I don't want to see you ever again! I hate you!" With that, Julie ran from the room.

"Julie!" Rachel called after her. Julie's pounding feet hit every step then nothing after the slam of a door.

"What was that about? What did I do?" Ranger demanded.

Rachel dropped her face into both hands and sighed. "Look…I think you should go. I really don't want to get into this right now."

"I have a right to know, Rachel. What's going on?"

"No…Ranger…you don't have any rights!" Rachel shot back.

"She's my daughter…"

"You're just the sperm donor, Ranger. That's it. You gave up your rights…remember?"

"Is that what you've been feeding her? That I don't care? That I don't love her?"

"Hey…" Stephanie said as she sandwiched herself between them. "Maybe we should go, Carlos."

"Yes, please go," Rachel agreed. "We'll talk about this at another time. Okay? Now is not the time for this."

Ranger turned and stormed out.

Stephanie turned to Rachel. "Now you know where she gets it," she joked.

Stephanie felt the tension ease. She turned to leave but paused at the door. "I'm sorry. We should have called. He really does regret how he handled things with you and Julie, you know. Sorry to have caused any trouble."

Ranger sulked in the driver's seat. His knuckles whitened from the tight grip on the steering wheel. Stephanie slid into the passenger seat and clicked the seatbelt into place.

"Carlos…" She ran her hand along his right arm. "I'm sure something else was going on. I…I think we kind of walked into a bad situation. That's all. I don't think that was all about you." Running her hand up his arm and along the side of his face, she brushed back his hair. He leaned into her touch.

"You think so?" He sounded hopeful.

Stephanie nodded. "Yeah…I do. She had that…_I hate the world because I'm turning into a teenage_ look. Just let things settle down, and we'll call Rachel in a few days. Kids get funny about different family dynamics. They want to be the same as their friends. No one wants to be different at that age."

The corners of Ranger's mouth twitched. "I regret signing away my parental rights. Part of me thought I was doing the right thing. The other part of me…" He trailed off and dropped his head. "…was relieved. I wasn't ready to be a father. I didn't want to be a father. It wasn't fair to me or to Rachel or Julie. I was gone all the time and didn't know if I was coming back. I don't have a bond with Julie. And…it's my fault."

He started the car and pulled onto the main road. A block later, he reached for Stephanie's hand.

"But I think if I had been around, things would have been different," he continued. "Seeing my son and uh…"

"The player to be named later?"

Grinning, he kissed the back of her hand. "Yeah. Seeing both of them…well, I can't explain it. If I hadn't been overseas, I would have gotten the opportunity to experience all that with Julie. And, I would have a better relationship with her."

"Carlos…you can't beat yourself up for decisions or mistakes you made over a decade ago. Isn't that what you tell me all the time?"

"Have I told you how much I loved you today?"

"Yes, but why don't you take me dancing tonight? Just to reinforce that idea," Stephanie teased.

"Just dancing?" He flashed his wolfish grin.

"God…I hope not."

While Stephanie took a nap, Ranger bribed Celita to babysit for her sister and brother, so they could take Raoul and Marissa out dancing. Ranger made some phone calls and had them added to the list for Cameo. What a stressful day! He felt like he made so much progress with his relationship with Julie. The last time he spoke to Rachel, they talked about plans for Julie to visit over the summer. Julie had every right to be angry with him. He failed her as a father.

Ron was a good man. He loved Julie, and Ranger couldn't have asked for a better father figure for her. But, he wanted Julie to know that he loved her and would always be there for her. He wanted to be more than a check. Even if Julie thought of him like an uncle, Ranger couldn't have asked for more. He prayed that Stephanie called this one correctly.

"Uncle Carlos?"

Celita joined him on the deck.

"What's up?"

"I was wondering…my boyfriend Jose wants to join the Army. He's not sure if he wants to join right after high school or go to college first. I told him that you were in the Army and Special Forces and everything. Would you mind if he asked you some questions?" Celita asked.

Ranger shook his head. "Not at all. He sounds responsible. I like him already," Ranger told her.

Celita giggled. "Tell that to my dad! I don't think he likes the idea of me dating. Mom really had to convince him it was okay. He insisted on coming with us on our first date. He even sat between us at the movies! It was soooo embarrassing."

Ranger smirked. "Sounds like him. It's hard for parents to accept that their kids are growing up. It's even harder for a father to think about his little girl growing up. I can't say that I won't be the same way with the twins."

"I really like Aunt Stephanie. She's so cool. We were so worried about her when she got kidnapped. But, she's okay now…right?"

Ranger looked into her pleading eyes and nodded. "She's getting better. Stephanie had a hard time there for a while, but she's tough." He sipped his iced tea. "So…when do I get to meet Jose?"


	14. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

"Earth to Raoul," Marissa kidded as she waved her hand in front of his face.

He had been mesmerized by watching Ranger and Stephanie out on the dance floor for the past fifteen minutes. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, drew her close, and kissed her cheek.

"Sorry," he laughed. "I can't even begin to tell you how thrilled I am to see Carlos happy and content. You know how worried I was about him. I knew something in him had changed after he met Stephanie. I hadn't even met her yet, but I knew that she was the one."

Marissa smiled and nodded. "I liked her the second I met her," she agreed. "I noticed the change in Carlos right away. I don't think I've ever met 2 people that are more suited for each other than Stephanie and Carlos. And what great dancers they are!"

Raoul drained his drink before standing. He extended his hand to Marissa. "He's not the only Manoso that can move, you know. Come on. I'm not going to let my little brother show me up."

_I like It_ by Enrique Iglesias filled the room with its driving beat. Ranger led Stephanie in what looked like a combo of the rumba, lambada, and a paso double. She matched him move for move. With nothing but the catchy tune and each other, the world ceased to exist. Nothing else mattered.

Again, Raoul couldn't help but stare. This time, he was joined by Marissa…and several other patrons. Ranger and Stephanie weren't only good dancers, but they made a very handsome couple. It didn't surprise him that a circle began to form around the edges of the dance floor to watch. Their sensual movements and obvious attraction transfixed the crowd.

When the song came to an end, Ranger pulled Stephanie close and kissed her deeply. His hand slid to her backside and gripped her cheek as she threaded her hands through his hair. The observers erupted in applause. Because the next song began to thunder through the speakers, Ranger and Stephanie were oblivious that they were on display. Once again, they tuned out the world to focus on each other.

The evening came to an end. Ranger hired a limo for transportation. As they exited the club, Ranger called the driver to pick them up at the side entrance. Old habits died hard. Part of keeping a low profile was to never use the main entrance. Too open, too obvious, and too exposed.

"Thanks for dragging us out tonight," Marissa gushed. "We had so much fun. Raoul and I hadn't been dancing in a long time."

Ranger smiled. "Yeah, he didn't do too bad for an old man."

Raoul feigned offense and swatted the back of Ranger's head. "This old man kept up with you, little brother."

"And you 2 sure drew a crowd," Marissa told them. "I think half of them ran out to smoke a cigarette after that last dance."

A rosy hue crept into Stephanie's cheeks. Several times their erotic moves felt similar to making love. She hoped they didn't look like mating dogs on the dance floor.

Marissa sensed Stephanie's embarrassment. "Don't worry. It was _hot_…not hootchie. I think every couple watching just wanted to be you. The 2 of you have so much chemistry that the dance floor was ready to melt."

The couples parted ways when they returned home. Raoul and Marissa headed straight for their bedroom, while Ranger led Stephanie out to the beach. It wasn't like he had the chance to make love to her on the beach that often. Being the ever opportunist, he took full advantage of the situation.

"I want to have the last dance out here," he whispered into her ear.

"Good," she giggled. "When I told you to take me dancing…that's not all that I wanted."

She pulled free of his hand and ran back inside. "Wait! I need to get something."

A few seconds later, she returned with her little C2 Taser. "That turtle thing is out there."

"Babe…you can't stun any sea turtles. They're protected by law," Ranger insisted. "It went back out to sea."

"You said it was laying eggs. Isn't it out there sitting on them until they hatch?" She still hadn't relinquished the Taser.

Ranger smirked. "They're turtles, Babe, not chickens. They don't sit on their eggs. They lay them, bury them, and head back out to sea."

"Well…there could me more of those things running around!"

"They're not going to hurt you," Ranger told her. "And…they don't run."

"But that thing was _huge_!"

"_I'm_ huge." He placed her hand on his growing length.

"It grunted _really_ loud!" she continued.

"I'll grunt louder," he promised as he waggled his eye brows.

She still looked uncertain. Ranger hugged her tight, grinding himself into her hip for added incentive. Hearing her whimper, he knew he wore her down.

"Trust me, Babe. I would never put you in danger…no matter how horny I was."

"Okay…just _don't_ let that turtle bite off my favorite part. I'll wind up in jail for killing that stupid thing."

Ranger's body shook. "Don't worry. I plan on putting it someplace safe."

The next morning, the buzz of Ranger's cell phone woke him up from a sound sleep. Groaning, he relinquished his hold on Stephanie and rolled over to answer the call.

"This better be good," he growled into the phone.

Tank informed him that the FBI needed his help with a job in Miami. They knew he had an office there but didn't know Ranger happened to be in town. Ranger jotted down the number and disconnected.

He glanced over at Stephanie. Still out like a light, he didn't want to wake her. Silently rising, he padded to the dresser to find a pair of gym shorts. He slid them on, grabbed his phone, and then moved to the deck to make the call.

Ranger set up a meeting at the Miami office for 12:30. He had plenty of time for a run and to have breakfast with Stephanie and his family. Just so she wouldn't worry, he left note on the nightstand.

Raoul accompanied Ranger to the office. Marissa left to take Little Raoul and Kayla to their baseball practices. Celita was off to the mall with friends to spend the $100 Ranger paid her for babysitting the night before. Stephanie had her own game plan in mind.

Stephanie called Rachel and asked her if they could meet for lunch. Despite being hesitant, Rachel agreed. Stephanie quickly showered and got ready for her meeting. She knew it was stupid, but her pride took over. She took extra time to do her hair and make-up. Ranger and Rachel ended it a long time ago, but she was still his ex-wife.

Stephanie chose to wear her new overall shorts with a baby blue tee shirt. That particular shade of blue always brought out the color of her eyes. She blow-dried her hair into soft curls. She added a few extra swipes of mascara for courage to compliment the pink lip gloss. After careful inspection in the mirror, she was ready to face Rachel.

Even though Stephanie arrived five minutes early, Rachel beat her to the café. She selected an end table with a large umbrella on the outside terrace. Obviously, Rachel wanted to look her best as well. Her hair was done up, and she wore a pretty, yellow sundress.

"Thanks for meeting me, Rachel," Stephanie greeted her as she sat down.

Rachel nodded. "Water?" She pointed to the pitcher of water with lemon wedges.

"Yes…thank you."

Stephanie sipped her water. Suddenly, her mouth felt like a desert. "I wanted to apologize for yesterday, Rachel. We had no right to show up unannounced like that. I'm sorry we caused a scene."

Stephanie noticed Rachel's features soften.

"The timing couldn't have been worse," Rachel agreed. "2 weeks ago, one of Julie's classmates started to tease her in front of her peers about Ranger. Telling her that Ron wasn't her _real_ father, and her _real_ father didn't want her." Rachel sighed and paused to sip her water.

Stephanie grimaced. "Shit," she muttered.

"Shit is right. It got ugly. The other kids started to tease her about not being wanted. As you can see, Julie's having a hard time with it. I could have punched that little bitch right in her face. Somehow, this girl's mother found out about Ron adopting her and made it a point to tell her daughter." Rachel rubbed her temples. "The sad thing about it is…it's true. He didn't want her, and it was easier to walk away. It is what it is."

The waiter swung by the table to take their order.

"And to make matters worse, he comes sailing through all happy about having more children. I hate to admit this….especially since it's been a long time…but it hurt to see that," Rachel confessed.

Tears welled up in Stephanie's eyes. "I'm sorry, Rachel. I can imagine how that must have looked."

Rachel shrugged. "Maybe it's best to just cut this charade. Ranger's been good to us by supporting Julie financially. It's obvious this isn't a healthy relationship. I tried to be impartial, but I this time I have to put my foot down. We should have cut the ties a long time ago."

"_Please_, Rachel," Stephanie begged. "Don't do that. For what it's worth, for as much as Carlos is excited about the twins, he's equally as sorry that he missed out on everything with Julie. He feels guilty about being happy. Right after we left, he said if he wasn't overseas that things would have been different with Julie. He finally _understands_ what he missed out on."

Rachel frowned as she studied Stephanie's face. "Look, I know you feel the need to protect him. But being sorry doesn't change the past." She took another sip of her water and leaned back in her seat. "I have Julie's feelings to think about. Her feelings are my priority…not Ranger's."

Stephanie chewed on her lower lip. Honestly, she didn't know what to expect to get out of this meeting, but it wasn't going well at all. She prayed she didn't make a mistake and make it worse for Ranger by arranging this.

"You're right. Julie needs to come first. But whether you like it or not, Carlos is her biological father…for better or worse. It's true that he doesn't have any legal rights to Julie. She knows who he is and will always be curious about him. Julie is my children's sister. I want them to be able to know her and for Julie to know them. Please don't punish Julie and my children because you 2 can't work things out," Stephanie pleaded.

Rachel recoiled as if slapped. She opened her mouth as if to respond but was interrupted by the waiter serving their lunch. Stephanie glanced down at her hamburger and French fries. Not a bad craving to have. It could have been worse…she could have craved tofu or salad or some other healthy shit.

The women ate in silence. That was a good sign, Stephanie thought. Rachel could have got up and left. Hopefully, for Ranger's sake, they could work out a solution and not have Rachel refuse him seeing Julie.

"You look good," Rachel said after a while. "I didn't think you wanted to get married and have kids."

Stephanie snorted. "I didn't. Believe me…this wasn't planned. It's sort of…an embarrassing story." After taking a long swallow of her water, Stephanie proceeded to update Rachel about the crazy past few months.

Rachel was stunned. "I…I don't know what to say. But are both of you all right now? My God, Stephanie. That must have been horrible."

"I'm doing a little better now. I was able to come and meet you on my own. This is the first time I've done something like that since…you know."

"I'm starting to feel a little guilty here," Rachel admitted. "What we've been dealing with sort of pales in comparison to what you 2 have been through."

"It does make you think about what is important," Stephanie sighed.

"You're life is like a Lifetime Movie of the Week," Rachel mused.

"Life is too short, Rachel. Carlos isn't asking to take over as Julie's father. He gave up that right a long time ago, and he knows it. He just wants her to know that he loves her and will always be there for her. Maybe think of him as her uncle or something. With all the crap in the world, it doesn't hurt to have as many people behind you as you can get," Stephanie told her. "Just think about it. That's all I'm asking."

Rachel pursed her lips. She looked Stephanie in the eye. "Okay…I'll think about it. I'm not going to push Julie. But, I won't prevent her from seeing Ranger. I'll let her make up her own mind. I'm sure she will want to meet her…" Rachel trailed off as she gestured towards Stephanie's belly.

"Brother…and the player to be named later," Stephanie finished for her.

"When are you due?"

"October. But Selma, that's Carlos' sister, said twins usually go early. I hope she's right."

"I'm glad you called, Stephanie. I feel so much better about yesterday. I hated leaving it like that. I was never comfortable with conflict. That's probably why I gave in when everyone pressured us to get married," Rachel said. "Ranger is very lucky to have you."

"We're lucky to have each other," Stephanie replied. "Now…how about dessert? My treat."

Back in Trenton, Lester prepared for his next date with Xylia. They spoke over the phone during the week, but he didn't get a chance to see her. He needed to totally pull this one out and not offend her like he did last week. He bought white roses and no chocolate. Using a coupon for the Taj Mahal, he reserved a two bedroom suite. He hoped they didn't need to use the second bedroom, but it would take the pressure off Xylia if she wasn't ready to sleep with him yet.

Lester did think Xylia wouldn't be interested in gambling, but there were several shows to see or night clubs to go dancing in Atlantic City. Or, they could just have a picnic on the beach. He had Plan A, B, and C all ready to go. He even packed an overnight bag with an extra toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, and one of his tee shirts for Xylia.

Once again, Xylia was conservatively dressed in a sea foam green sweater and gray slacks. The soft green matched her eyes and complimented her red hair. She looked hot.

"You look great, Xylia. Here," Lester told her as he pulled the bouquet of white roses from behind his back. "See…I'm a fast learner."

"Ooh!" she gushed. "Those are so beautiful. Thank you, Lester." She gave him a quick peck on the cheek.

This was the reaction he had expected last week. He started to get the feeling that this train switched to the right track now. With Ranger and Stephanie in Miami, he didn't want to bother her with stupid questions about what to do. Stephanie's opinion meant the world to him. Getting a woman's point of view would help him to be a better boyfriend. He never had to work this hard to get laid though.

"So…where are we going?" Xylia asked as Lester led her to his truck.

"It's a surprise," he told her with a lopsided grin.

"I love surprises," Xylia giggled. "As long as we're not going to Atlantic City. There is just too much sin there. Gambling. Prostitutes. Adultery. I hate that place."

The color drained from Lester's face. His stomach flip-flopped, and he tasted his breakfast at the back of his throat.

"Lester?" Xylia frowned. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Lester squirmed in his seat. What was he going to do now? Should he tell her or just take her somewhere else?

"That was the surprise…wasn't it?" Xylia interrupted his panic.

"Uh…yeah. But, I wasn't taking you there to gamble…or sin. Honest! I didn't think you'd like that. I thought you could pick out a show or something. And…I thought we'd have a picnic on the beach. I'm sorry. I guess I screwed up again," Lester admitted.

Xylia took his hand in both of hers. "How about we go to Point Pleasant? I would love to have a picnic with you, Lester. That was so sweet of you to think of that. I just can't go to Atlantic City. The devil is there."

The devil? Jesus, Lester thought. That would explain a lot about AC. He guessed staying overnight was out of the question as well. "Point Pleasant it is. Stephanie loves that place, too. I've only been there a few times myself." Which was because he preferred going to hell with the other sinners in Atlantic City.

"Thank you for being so understanding, Lester. I can only imagine what you must think of me," Xylia sighed.

"What do you mean?" Lester prodded.

"My religious beliefs are very important to me. A lot of people don't understand that and make fun of me. I really do appreciate that you seem to respect me, Lester. I see you trying really hard to get to know me. Most men just want sex," Xylia explained.

Well, she hit the nail on the head with that one. All men wanted sex. Lester wanted sex, but he wanted more than just sex. "We just met, and I want to get to know you. I'm not looking for a one night stand. I'm looking for more." Besides, once Xylia got to know him better, she wouldn't be able to resist and would be begging for it.

A light conversation made the drive to Point Pleasant fly by. He fed her his standard Lester 101 which covered his family, sports, and the Army. Xylia's life seemed to revolve around the church. It felt like the Lord would be a third wheel in this relationship. Kind of hard to compete with the Man upstairs.

Their 'beach feast' consisted of French fries, zeppoles, and sausage sandwiches. The fat content alone could cause heart attacks in at least three adults. The wind started to kick up, so Lester suggested they take a stroll on the boardwalk.

"We'll walk this off to make room for some frozen custard," Lester told her.

"That would be great, Lester. I love the orange cream ones. I haven't had one of those in a long time," Xylia gushed.

A few vendors opened early in the season. With Memorial Day right around the corner, the boardwalks along the Jersey shore would be hopping. Lester tried his hand at a basketball game to win Xylia a prize. An hour and $50 later, Lester called it quits.

"Okay," he asked the vendor, "what did I win?"

The pimple-faced kid reached under the counter and pulled out a pink eraser. "Here you go. Want to try to win the pencil that goes with it?"

Wise ass, little, zit-faced punk, Lester thought. "Uh…no thanks," he grumbled.

Xylia covered her mouth as she giggled.

"Well…this isn't exactly what I had in mind, but this is for you," Lester joked as he handed her the eraser. He had hoped to be using a different kind of rubber soon. "Hopefully, you can _erase_ my horrible basketball skills from your memory."

"I'll treasure it always," Xylia kidded.

"I would have tried for the pencil, but I might have had to declare bankruptcy," Lester added. "Come on. I'll get you that orange cream while I still have some money."

Lester thought the couple at the head of the line looked familiar. After they turned to leave, he recognized Joe Morelli and his girlfriend, Annemarie.

"Hey Joe!" Lester called to him.

Joe scanned the crowd to see who yelled his name. Lester waved to the couple. Joe smiled when he saw who called to him.

"Hi Lester," Joe said as they shook hands. He nodded to Xylia. "How are you doing?"

"We're doin' good. Hi, Annemarie," Lester replied.

"We meet again," Annemarie joked. "Are you stalking us?"

"No," Xylia insisted. "As a matter of fact, Lester planned to take us to Atlantic City. I refused to go there because it's a den of sin."

Lester internally cringed. Christ. It sounded worse hearing it the second time around.

Joe flashed a huge fake smile. "Is she serious?" he whispered to Lester.

Lester recoiled. "Pfft…no! She's just…um...joking," he insisted.

"So what were you planning to do?" Annemarie inquired. "We were just going to shoot a little pool. Would you like to join us?"

Xylia almost exploded. "Pool? I love playing pool! Can we, Lester?"

Finally! Something they both liked to do. Maybe there was some hope after all? "Sure," Lester agreed. "You don't mind, do you?"

"No…not at all," Joe assured him. "Me and Annemarie will play you 2."

The two couples headed to the last club on the boardwalk.

"Hey…did you hear that one of Steph's twins is a boy?" Lester asked Joe. "They couldn't tell what the other one was."

"Cupcake with a little boy? I can't wait 'til I see her again. Is she excited?" Joe exclaimed.

"Yeah…both of them are. Especially Ranger. He's happy about having a son."

"How is she doing?" Annemarie jumped in.

"Pretty good. Steph and Ranger are in Miami. They should be back by the end of the week. You should have seen the office. We covered the place in blue. Shit…I'm sure Ranger's already making plans to send this kid to West Point," Lester said.

Being slower on the off season, the club was pretty vacant. It made getting a spot right next to a pool table easy. Joe pulled out his wallet.

"How about we start with a pitcher?" he suggested.

"Sounds good to me," Lester agreed.

Annemarie nodded.

"Not for me. I'll just have a Coke please. I don't drink alcohol. It's the devil's blood," Xylia explained.

Joe's and Annemarie's chins hit the floor. Lester turned fire engine red.

"Uh…_oh_-kay. Coke it is," Joe muttered as he shuffled over to the bar.

Xylia excused her self to the restroom, and Annemarie joined her.

Lester racked the balls as Joe returned with a pitcher in one hand and a Coke in the other.

"Here's some devil's blood for the sinners and a coke for the Virgin Mary," Joe joked. He set them down and went back to grab the glasses for the beer.

"Very funny, Morelli," Lester growled. "She's just a little religious…that's all. Nobody makes fun of your weird Grandma Bella and her evil eye thing."

Joe smirked. "Yes, they do. Just ask Steph. We _all_ make fun of Grandma Bella. But she makes one hell of a lasagna though. Oops…sorry Lester. I said '_hell_'."

"Oh…you're a laugh riot tonight." Lester sunk into his seat and filled their glasses.

"I'm only kidding," Joe told him as he sat beside him.

Lester downed his beer in one gulp then poured another. It was going to be a long night.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

"What kind of job is this again?" Stephanie asked.

"After most of the Columbian drug cartels got taken out a few years ago, some new factions moved into Mexico. There's a lot of violence going on near the Border States now, so it's getting harder to move the drugs into the US," Ranger explained as he drove them to the designated FBI location.

"I don't know if I like the sound of this," Stephanie grumbled.

"They need to get someone inside to plan the bugs. That's what I'm going to do. It's a walk in the park," Ranger promised.

"And how are you going to walk in this park?" she demanded.

"That's what I'm going to find out when we get there," Ranger replied.

Shooting her a sideways glance, he caught the eye roll.

"Babe, you promised me if I let you come along that you wouldn't get in the way. You're a Rangeman employee, and I want you to learn more about the business. We still have a lot of government contracts. Rangeman makes good money from them. So please…keep your emotions under control," Ranger pleaded.

"Or what…you'll spank me?" Stephanie teased.

Ranger growled. "Don't tempt me."

Special Agent Tony Rivera escorted Ranger and Stephanie to the conference room. Five other agents sat around the large oval table. Agent Rivera briefed everyone on the operation.

"With all the Mexican drug cartels stirring up trouble on both sides of the border, patrols have been beefed up. They've even placed troops, both full time and National Guard, in high activity areas. Without thinking it through, they hurt their own distribution lines into the US. These groups aren't quite as smart as the Columbians. Covert operation is sort of lost on them. Which will work to our advantage. But, they are far more violent. Killing _anything_ and _anyone_ that gets in their way," Agent Rivera announced.

Ranger sensed Stephanie unease. He dealt with the Columbians. His team took them down. The Columbians were ruthless, but only when they had to be. It sounded as if the Mexicans had no finesse…like a bull in a china cabinet. Like Rivera said, that weakness could be exploited.

"So…," Ranger began, "what angle are they looking for?"

"There are a lot of Catholic missions in Mexico and Central America," Agent Rivera continued. "The trade off is money to help the poor villages. It's not ideal, but there are a lot of hungry kids down there. The US dollar goes pretty far."

"Whoa…wait a minute," Stephanie interrupted. "You're saying that they _pay_ priests and holy people to transport drugs?"

Ranger's mouth twitched. "That's exactly what he's saying, Babe."

"So, you're going to dress up like a priest?" Stephanie eyes couldn't get any wider.

"Yes," the only female agent, Special Agent Geri Currin, answered. "His cover is Father Juan Martinez. I will be Sister Mary Conception. We have a meeting at 2 PM today. We'll be planting the bugs. We'll be wearing wires as well. Our job is to get as much information as possible while we are there, and hopefully, the bugs will get us the rest."

Agent Currin had looked pale at the start of the meeting, but her skin tone began to take on a greenish hue. Suddenly, she clutched her belly and doubled over. She bolted to the door at the back of the conference room which contained a small bathroom.

"You okay, Geri?" another agent asked. He jogged to the bathroom door and gently knocked. "Are you all right?"

The small bathroom lacked privacy being so closely connected to the larger area. Unfortunately, the explosive noises echoed throughout the conference room.

"Uh…Ranger?" Agent Rivera asked. "Why don't you go with Agent Harmon? He'll get you ready."

Ranger nodded as he rose from his seat. He kissed the top of Stephanie's head. "I'll be back in a few, Babe."

Twenty minutes later, Ranger returned as Father Juan Martinez, all decked out in black with the white collar. Stephanie almost passed out.

"I am _so_ having impure thoughts right now," she muttered.

"See something you like, Babe," Ranger whispered in her ear with a smirk.

"Can you go to hell for wanting to have sex with a priest?"

Snickers resounded throughout the room.

"Babe," Ranger sighed.

Stephanie blushed. "Did I say that out loud?"

"Get ready for another exorcism," Ranger whispered into her ear.

Agent Currin still had not emerged from the bathroom, but the smell that wafted under the door started to overpower the room.

"Geri? You've been in there a while. Are you okay? Do you need help in there? Or…an air freshener?"

"No," she croaked. "Don't come in here. I'm shittin' out a Buick. I…I don't think I'm gonna make it."

"Smells more like a Hummer," Agent Harmon groaned.

"Shit," Agent Rivera hissed. "We've got 1 hour to get in place. Miss Plum…we'll have to use you."

Ranger's head snapped to look at him. "No."

"Oh yeah right!" Stephanie exclaimed. "A _pregnant_ nun. Now, I really am going to hell."

"We're not using her," Ranger insisted.

"Nobody would ever believe that she's a nun," Agent Harmon added. "Look at her! I've never seen a nun that looked like that."

"We've got to ugly her up," Agent Rivera agreed.

"I said…no!" Ranger growled.

"Ranger, we've got a lot riding on this. She's a _Rangeman_ employee, and this is a _Rangeman_ contract. We don't have a back up," Agent Rivera told him.

Ranger took Stephanie by the arm and led her into the hallway. "I don't feel comfortable with you doing this, but it's up to you, Babe. It is a walk in the park, and there is a lot riding on this. You can't be on the fence about it. If you don't think you feel 100% comfortable with going in undercover, I'll pull out."

"Do you think I can do this?"

"I would prefer you _not_ do this, but yeah…I know you _can_ do this," Ranger told her looking directly into her aquamarine eyes. "Just be honest with me."

Her heart melting smile lit up her eyes. "Let's do this."

The make-up team added brown contacts, thick glasses, and false teeth to take as much as Stephanie's beauty away as possible. They stuffed her into a fat suit to round out her hips and behind. All the while, Agent Harmon fed her Intel.

The team decided to let Ranger do the majority of the talking. Stephanie would provide the background on the missions they supported and answer any direct questions.

On the way back to the conference room, Stephanie stumbled. "Shit… no wonder nuns are so mean. They're forced to wear these clunky and ugly-ass shoes," she complained.

The team ran through the game plan one final time. Agent Rivera handed Ranger and Stephanie two small bags that contained the bugs. The hidden objects were inside rosaries and angel pins.

"Hey…these are pretty cool," she blurted out. "I can pin them on while you give them a blessing or something."

"I knew there was a reason I brought you here today," Ranger joked. Stephanie never failed to disappoint him.

"So…what's my name again?"

"You're Sister Mary Conception," Agent Harmon reminded her.

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "That's just great. I'm Sister Mary Conception…the _pregnant_ nun," she whined.

"And…you were impregnated by Father Martinez," Ranger added. "It's a sin worth going to hell for."

Stephanie splayed her hands on her padded belly. "Okay kids…time for Mommy and Daddy to play Mr. and Mrs. Smith."

The representatives of the Mexican drug cartel only knew that Sister Mary served as the coordinator for all the missionaries travelling to all their Catholic ministries. Father Martinez, their most active missionary, made most of the trips himself. They would need Sister Mary's cooperation to schedule Father Martinez trips to coincide with the pick-ups. They reserved a private room in the back of a small café in Little Havana. At 2 PM on the dot, the hostess escorted them to their table.

Half way there, Stephanie stumbled again. "Damn it!"

Ranger grabbed her arm to prevent her from falling.

"It's these damn shoes," she explained.

"Buenos Dios, Padre," a tall man sporting a goatee greeted them. "I'm Paolo. Sister…nice to meet you. Are you all right?"

Stephanie nodded as Ranger offered his hand to Paolo.

He shook their hands. "This is Carmen, Esteban, and Miguel."

"I'm Father Juan Martinez. This is Sister Mary Conception. Let's get down to business, shall we?" Ranger told them.

Carmen turned to Miguel and whispered, "I'll take Father What-A-Waste any day…_or night_."

Stephanie felt that the opportunity presented itself to give them the bug infested trinkets immediately. Their conversation would be heard much better if they all wore a wire. "Oh…wait. We have something for all of you," Stephanie said.

She pulled out a small bag and removed the rosaries. She hung one around each of their necks. "They were made by the children in the villages that we serve. And they are _blessed_…by the Pope," she added as an afterthought. They didn't look like Rhodes Scholars, so maybe they would buy that crap. "And you can give these out to your friends."

Stephanie removed an angel pin to show them what the other bag contained. She attempted to show it to Carmen who continued to stare at Ranger as if he was on the menu.

"Bless you, child." Stephanie stuck her with the pin as she pretended to attach it to Carmen's collar.

"Ow!"

"Oh…I'm sorry. Getting stuck with an angel pin that was blessed by the Pope is good luck. Do you feel lucky?" She wanted to add…_do ya punk_…just like Clint Eastwood, but she felt a tap on her arm.

"Have a seat…Sister." Ranger pulled out a chair for Stephanie and sat her down.

Ranger held back a smile as he watched the drug dealers admire the cheap jewelry. Rivera nailed it. These people were definitely amateurs. Stephanie slammed it home by giving those things to them at the start. He gave Stephanie a slight nod to let her know she did well.

"Okay," Paolo began. "I know you have some idea why we set up this meeting, so I'm going to assume you don't have a problem with what we do."

Both Ranger and Stephanie nodded.

"Good. We are prepared to pay good money for your services," Paolo continued.

Paolo gave them a basic understanding of their operation. More than the FBI could hope for, Ranger figured the Agents were dancing on the conference table in celebration right now. Paolo had diarrhea of the mouth. Rivera also nailed it when he said that this group relied on intimidation and violence alone. He named locations, dates, confessed to other crimes…this idiot was worse than WikiLeaks for drug dealers.

After a while, Stephanie tuned out Paolo. He droned on and on. Again, all she heard was whaa…whaa-whaa…whaa. She thought he would never shut up. But…that's why they were there. To listen to all this boring shit. She hoped they would hurry up and get what they needed before she had to pee again. That fat suit would be a pain to get off by herself.

All of a sudden, Stephanie felt as if her insides performed a perfect inward one and a half somersault. Leaning forward with a hand clutching her belly, she cried out, "_Jesus_ fucking _Christ_!"

Her belly stilled, and the movement stopped. "God damn it," she muttered under her breath as she rubbed her stomach then froze. Oh shit, she thought. Looking up, she saw the stunned faces of everyone in the room…especially Ranger's.

Her skin took on a rosy tint, and a sheepish smile crept across her face.

"Uh…are you okay, Sister?" Carmen hesitantly asked her.

"Oh…pfft…yeah. I'm fine," Stephanie replied with a dismissive wave. "I just…uh…had…um…a touch of gas. You know how that is. Um…it can hurt like the devil. So…uh…I…um…had to call on Jesus."

"I didn't know that nuns could talk like that," Esteban commented.

"Cool. I've never heard of a prayer that had the word 'fuck' in it," Miguel added. He looked impressed.

"Sister Mary Conception has Tourette's," Ranger lied. "So the Lord will forgive her…for she knows not what she says."

"It's in the bible, Father Juan," Stephanie insisted.

"Where? I gotta find that prayer," Miguel pushed.

"Oh…um…the Book of…uh…Dianetics. In the New Testament at the back of the book. You have to make sure you buy one of the new, urban bibles to get that prayer," Stephanie rattled on.

She glanced over at Ranger and apologized with her eyes. She knew the returned look he shot back asked if she was okay. She rolled her eyes with a quick nod.

Stephanie again scanned their faces. The looks of disgust were apparent. Imagine that? Drug dealers and murderers disgusted by a cursing nun with gas. Well…except Miguel. She could tell he wanted to hear more about the _fuck_ prayer.

Ranger rose from his seat. "I think we've heard enough to know that we are interested in your proposal. The Catholic ministries just don't have enough money to go around." He extended his hand to each of them. Carmen held on to his the longest.

Stephanie struggled to her feet. Damn fat suit. "Yes…while we think you are all _vile_ for what you do, feeding those starving children that have flies landing on their faces and don't have toilets totally supersedes your sin," she told them as she pulled Ranger's and Carmen's hands apart.

Ranger's eyebrows shot up as the corners of his mouth twitched. "I think we should go. Sister Mary appears to be having another bout of Tourette's. It might aggravate her gas problem. You have our cards if you want to do business. May God bless you all." Ranger made the sign of the cross with his right hand as if he were officially giving them a real blessing. They in turn, crossed themselves.

Ranger took Stephanie's arm and escorted her to the parking lot. He glanced over his shoulder to make sure no one followed. He didn't say a word until they pulled out of the parking lot.

"Babe," he breathed.

"I _can't_ believe this," she whined. "You get to be Father What-A-Waste, and I'm the Farting Nun. Why are you always the _cool one_ and I'm always the _dork…with gas_?"

"Are you okay? What happened back there?" he asked as he pointed to her stomach.

She broke into a slow smile. "Oh…I felt the babies move. I mean _really_ move. It kind of took me by surprise." She bit her lower lip. "I screwed this up…didn't I?"

Ranger grinned and ran a hand over her stomach. "No, we got more information than we could ever have hoped for. Even before _your_ children started to act up."

"Oh…_my_ children? If anything, I'm sure it was _your_ son. He was probably playing with his _erect_ penis."

Lester took Ivy with him for a jog. The Merry Men all took turns spending time with her. She loved running with them. She usually ran with Ranger every morning. He needed some down time alone to think about his date with Xylia from the night before. The relationship had a weird dynamic. One minute, everything was normal, and he enjoyed himself. Then like something out of a movie, Xylia would start spewing about the devil. Raised a Catholic, he also attended Catholic grammar school. The nuns and brothers always rambled on about Jesus, mortal sin, heaven and hell, and if one masturbates than he goes blind. What a load of crap!

"I never went blind," Lester muttered to Ivy.

Ivy dutifully wagged her tail. She made a great companion. Unfortunately, Ivy didn't offer any advice. He picked up the pace while she stayed in step.

Lester decided to give Xylia one more shot. They had only gone out twice now. The third time could be the charm. For some unknown reason, he really liked her. He couldn't explain why. They had almost next to nothing in common. But opposites could attract. Relationships with no sex lacked appeal. What was the point of dating someone if he wasn't going to get any? Although she didn't come out and say it, Lester suspected that Xylia might be a virgin. A lot of responsibility went along with being someone's first. Of course, he would ruin her for all other men. One night stands with loose women started to look a lot more appealing than a monogamous relationship. He wanted more than one night stands…right? Shit. Confusion didn't even come close to how he felt.

He needed to talk to Stephanie. No way could he talk about this with the guys. He'd never live it down. Especially since he had been talking so much shit.

Ranger had Raoul and Marissa in tears laughing so hard when he recanted the day's events. "It's even better when you hear it."

He pulled out a small recording device and played the FBI tape.

When it came to Stephanie's profane prayer, she thought Raoul would have a heart attack as he struggled to breathe. Marissa reached for more tissues. Ranger just smiled at the memory.

Stephanie rolled her eyes as she shook her head. "I don't know why I was surprised. _Of course_ the first time I really feel the babies move, and it doesn't feel like gas, we're undercover talking to drug dealers."

"You need to learn how to hide your emotions better, Babe," Ranger teased as a smile played across his lips.

"Well _excuse_ me. When I woke up, I had no idea that I had to be a spy today!" she shot back. "A _pregnant_ nun…with a _foul_ mouth…that had _gas_."

Marissa daubed the tears from her eyes with her napkin. "Only you, Stephanie."

"Come on, Babe," Ranger said as he offered his hand. "Let's get our walk in now. It's supposed to rain later." He helped Stephanie to her feet. "Will you guys still be up?"

"Some of us have to work in the morning," Raoul groaned. "I'll see you both tomorrow."

Ranger and Stephanie walked arm in arm along the shore line. "I'm going to miss this when we go back the Trenton," Stephanie sighed.

"I know what you mean," Ranger agreed. He squeezed her tight. "I was so proud of you today, Babe. Planting the bugs on them up front was genius. Even after your little…_mishap_…you still held it together. Rivera was impressed."

Her smile lit up her face. "Thank you, Carlos. I do want to learn more about our government contracts. I want to help you anyway I can. I was so nervous, but it was kind of exciting at the same time."

Ranger gave her a sly smile. "Well…since you did such a fantastic job today. I have a surprise for you."

Stephanie's eyebrows shot up with her head cocked to the side.

"I kept the priest's outfit…I'm going to _bless_ you all night," he whispered in a husky tone.

"Amen," she whimpered.


	16. Chapter 16

We are now starting the 2nd half of this story. Thanks again for reading and all your amazing feedback. It's really interesting to see how the story comes across to your readers. And congrats to the real Xylia who became a grandmother again. Welcome to the world Baby Lyric!

**Chapter 16**

Their time in Miami finally came to an end. Stephanie could feel Ranger starting to miss Raoul already. Ranger not only seemed different in Miami, but he was different around his brother. Somehow, he could just be Carlos. Of Ranger's many personas, Carlos was her favorite.

Stephanie knew Ranger still struggled with what happened with Julie. She hadn't told him that she met with Rachel yet. Stephanie feared Ranger would be crushed if she got his hopes up only to have Rachel change her mind. Drinking in the beautiful view of the ocean from their bedroom one last time, Stephanie sighed.

"I'm missing you already," Marissa whined from the doorway. "And, you're not even gone yet."

Stephanie smirked as she shuffled to the bed to finish packing. "I know. I would love to beg Carlos to move down here. But then I would miss everyone back home."

"I cried for the first 6 months after we moved here," Marissa admitted. She dropped into the oversized chair in the corner. "I mean…how could I be sad living in this beautiful home that's right on the beach? But I was _so _homesick."

"Carlos misses Raoul. I told him that I would support moving here if that's what he really wanted, but he said he needs to be in Trenton for work." Stephanie tossed a short stack of shirts into her suitcase. "I guess we'll be making more trips down here after the twins are born."

"We'll look forward to that. I'll have everything ready for you. I can't wait to get my hands on those babies. In a way, those babies will feel like my grandchildren. Raoul and I are old enough to be Carlos' parents. I've known him since he was a baby," Marissa reminisced. "He was adorable even back then."

"Our babies are lucky to have so many loving family members waiting to spoil them," Stephanie laughed.

"So…what are your plans for the wedding?"

Stephanie groaned. "Oh my God, Marissa! I have noooo idea. I guess we have to tell everyone that we _finally_ set a date first. Then I have to find a tent big enough to wear as a wedding dress."

Marissa laughed. "I'm sure you'll look beautiful no matter what you'll be wearing. And you know we will be there."

"Well…at least we picked out the wedding rings. Carlos took me to the same place where he bought my engagement ring. The jeweler is going to custom make them for us. Mine is a simple platinum band with 3 Asschur cut stones set diagonally across the band. Carlos' is almost the same, a little bigger, but more of a man's style with a flatter top." She placed the last of her clothes into her suitcase.

"I'm not usually one that needs the best of the best, or that it has to be over the top. It's just that those rings really mean something to me. The whole 'symbol of our love' thing…I wanted it to be special. We'll be wearing those long after the ceremony. The clothes, flowers, reception…that's a fleeting moment. But those rings will be with us every day," Stephanie explained.

Marissa smiled and nodded in agreement. "It's funny how you spend so much time, energy, and money planning something for a brief moment in your life. It's the continued time and energy…and money…that you put into your marriage which makes it work and last. That's what really counts."

The closing of the front door echoed throughout the house followed by Raoul calling for Marissa.

"I guess the boys are home," Marissa announced. "We're upstairs, Rao!"

Stephanie zipped closed her last suitcase. "That's the last one," she breathed.

Raoul and Ranger burst into the room seconds later. Ranger surveyed their luggage. It only multiplied into one extra bag.

"Looks like you're all set, Babe," Ranger commented.

"Yep, I only overflowed into one bag this time," she replied with a smile. Although she knew he wouldn't care if she needed ten extra bags.

"We might as well get these loaded into the truck," Raoul suggested as he grabbed a couple suitcases. He looked at Marissa and cocked his head towards the door. Marissa picked up a smaller bag and followed him out the door.

When alone, Ranger turned to Stephanie and pulled her close. "I am so lucky to have you, Babe," he whispered as he ran his hands up and down her back.

"I think it's the other way around," she told him.

"No, I'm the lucky one. I got a call from Rachel today. Thank you." He softly kissed her cheek. "She told me about your meeting, and what had been going on. She said if it hadn't been for you, she was going to cut me off from seeing Julie. Other than my men, and some of my family, you're the only person that has my back." He paused to give her his two hundred watt grin. "I didn't think it was possible…but I love you more today than I did yesterday."

A sly smile spread across her face. "You love me enough to dance for me wearing a pink thong?" She giggled as he cringed.

"No…not that much," he teased. "But enough to wear a black thong…or nothing at all."

"Hmmm?" She touched her index finger to her pursed lips. "I guess I'll have to settle for the black thong then."

He raised an eyebrow. "_Settle_?"

She gave him a quick peck on the cheek. "When it comes to you, I never have to settle. I'm getting the best of everything."

It seemed like they had just said hello, and now they had to say goodbye. Their Miami visit had flown by. Stephanie and Ranger enjoyed every minute of it. A couple of hours later, the private plane landed in a small airport just north of Trenton. The pre-arranged limo idled at the curb waiting to take them home.

Ranger fobbed the gate open so the limo could pull in the garage. He gently shook the sleeping Stephanie curled into his side. "We're home, Babe," he whispered.

Stephanie's eyes fluttered open, and she began to stretch. "I miss Raoul and Marissa, but it's nice to be home again."

Ranger helped her out of the car while the driver removed their luggage from the trunk. Hector exited the elevator with a hand cart to bring their suitcases up to 7.

"I'll take these up for you," Hector offered. He hugged Stephanie. "Welcome back, Bonita." He headed to the elevators pulling the luggage filled cart.

Ranger tipped the driver then opened the gate. Once the limo cleared the garage, he depressed his key fob again. The gate rolled closed. He spun around and found Stephanie staring at the #2mobile. His Porsche finally had returned from the body shop and sat next to that piece of shit. He sidled up to Stephanie, and wrapped his arms around her.

"You really hate this car…don't you?" she asked him with a sigh.

"Let's put it this way, Babe," he replied. "I would rather dance for you in that pink thong than see you drive this piece of shit again."

Giggling, she leaned into him. "Now that is tempting!"

Ranger groaned. "So…what do you want to do with this thing?"

"Well, I promised Tommy that he could have it. I think I'll call Beth Barnwell, and we can make arrangements to get Tommy the car. I don't need it anymore. Some really hot looking guy, that's good in bed, bought me this sweet little ride," she joked.

"Good in bed? I heard he was great in bed. The best…" She cut him off with an elbow to his gut.

"Keep that up, and I'll insist you do the pink thong thing!"

Ranger thought it odd that no one came to 7 to greet them. Normally, Ella would either be waiting or flying in the door seconds after they returned. It took only a few minutes to find out why.

Stephanie's barrage of profanity filled the 7th floor. Ranger collided with her as he tried to enter the closet as she bombarded him with black shirts.

"Look what they did to my shirts!" she growled.

No wonder their apartment was vacant. When they saw the limo enter the garage, everyone probably scattered like cockroaches. He removed the shirt hanging from his left shoulder and held it out in front of him. One of Stephanie's new maternity Rangeman shirts read…BIO-MOM. He pursed his lips to prevent any hint of a smile.

"Yeah….BIO-MOM," Stephanie whined. "And look at this one….GRENADES ON BOARD!" She grabbed another one off the floor. "And this one…RANGER JUNIOR AND THE PLAYER TO BE NAMED LATER!"

The other shirts in her Rangeman collection read…BUNS IN THE OVEN, BOMBSHELL AND THE GRENADES, and the piece de resistance…I'M NOT FAT YA ASS…I'M PREGNANT. So needless to say, Ranger lost control on the last one.

"Carlos…this is not funny," Stephanie scolded him. "I can't wear these shirts to work.

Ranger smirked. "Babe, you know the guys love you. You're part of the Rangeman family. They got you back for making them eat the muffins of death," he calmly explained.

"So you're not going to call them out on the mats tomorrow morning?"

He shook his head. "I think you're tough enough to take it. Babe…those muffins were really bad. If the UN got a hold of your recipe, they would add it to the list of banned interrogation techniques in the Geneva Convention."

Ranger held up his favorite. "Besides…I kind of like…BIO-MOM. You can pull this off, Babe."

"You're not going to do anything about this?" she asked, incredulous. With hands on hips, her lower lip protruded.

"Sorry, Babe…but no. If you want to run with the big dogs…you're going to have to learn to take it."

"Swell," she muttered. "Tomorrow, I get to go to work as BIO-MOM."

Stephanie picked up her defiled work shirts and folded them neatly. Opening her smaller carry-on bag, she spied her iPod Touch. Guilt twisted her stomach. The guys didn't have to replace her water-logged and much older iPod. Yeah…she could play along. Besides, it would give her more time to think of something better to do to get even. Every dog has its day…and good dogs have two!

"I smell something burning, Babe."

Giving him her sweetest smile, she replied, "It's nothing." She held up the iPod. "Just thinking about how much the Merry Men really do care about me. I'm being silly about these shirts. I mean…it is kinda funny when you think about it."

"That's my girl," Ranger said. "I'm going to run down to 5 and catch up on a few things. Be back in a little bit."

Stephanie contacted Beth Barnwell and made arrangements to drop off the #2 mobile the next day. They chatted for a while. Beth told her that she confiscated the display of the female reproductive organs for Lester. She couldn't believe her luck. Maybe not this week, she certainly might be able to use that thing to get the Merry Men back for the defacing her work shirts. Especially if Lester masterminded the whole plot!

After the morning meeting, Ranger, Tank, Stephanie, and Hal headed down to the garage. The plan was for Ranger to drive the #2 mobile over to Tom Barnwell's garage and salvage yard. Tank, Stephanie, and Hal would follow in a Rangeman SUV. Ranger slid behind the wheel.

"Damn!" he exclaimed. "What the hell is that smell? It's worse than a rotting corps."

"There was a dead squirrel in there, but Lester got rid of it," Stephanie explained.

"Babe…this is worse than a dead squirrel."

Ranger turned the key to start the car. The #2mobile sputtered several times but refused to turn over.

"We might have to tow this thing," Ranger finally decided after the sixth attempt.

"Let me try," Stephanie offered.

Ranger smirked. "Babe, it's been sitting for over a month. It's not going to start."

"The car knows you don't like it. You've never said anything nice about it."

"Cars don't have feelings, Babe. It's time for this thing to go to the junkyard in the sky…._Thank God_."

Stephanie opened the door and shoed Ranger into the passenger seat. The car choked twice before roaring to life.

"That's scary. It's like the damn thing missed her," Tank mumbled as he shuddered at the thought.

Stephanie slowly turned to Ranger giving him a self-satisfied smile. "You were saying, Carlos?"

Before he could answer, a shot rang throughout the garage. Forgetting the #2 mobile's history, Tank and Hal hit the deck as Ranger drew his sidearm. Next, black smoke billowed from the tailpipe and surrounded the car.

"I really hate this car," Ranger muttered as he turned the key to kill the engine. He motioned for Stephanie to exit the car as he did the same.

"I'll be glad when this thing is gone," Tank told them. "It reminds me of that Stephen King movie with the car that killed people."

"It smells like it's been carrying around the people it's killed, too," Ranger agreed. "I can't believe you drove around in this thing with that smell."

Stephanie shrugged her shoulders. "I didn't _like_ the smell, but it was an old car. Old cars smell," she insisted. "I did put a scented apple air freshener in there though. Couldn't you smell it?"

"More like rotting apples," Ranger muttered.

"Ivy was afraid of this car, too," Hal added.

After the smoke cleared, Ranger searched the backseat. Finding only the holes in the floor, his eyes darted to the trunk. "What's in the trunk?"

Again, Stephanie shrugged. "I don't know. I never looked."

Ranger grabbed the keys from the ignition to open the trunk. He couldn't get the key into the lock. It appeared that the lock was stuffed with another broken key. "Hal…get a crowbar."

"Carlos…who cares what's in the trunk," Stephanie whined. "Tommy's only going to drive this thing around the junkyard anyway. What's the big deal?"

It took Ranger, Tank, and Hal, and all of their combined strength, to pop open the trunk. The smell of decomposition overwhelmed them. Covering their mouths and noses, the four of them peered into the trunk.

"Ho-ly shit," Tank breathed.

Inside the trunk, a skeleton lay with wrists and ankles still bound with tattered duct tape. A small satchel sat behind the remains. Ranger slung his arm around Stephanie who clutched his right arm tightly.

"Oh…my…God!" she exclaimed. "I've been driving around with a _dead_ guy in the trunk!"

"It's okay, Babe," Ranger assured her. He pulled out his cell and punched in a number. "It's Ranger. We need you at the Rangeman building. We found a body in the trunk of Stephanie's car."

Ranger held the phone away from his ear and winced. The howl of laughter blasted from the speaker.

"S-sorry…," Joe Morelli said after getting himself under control. "I thought you said you found a body in Steph's car."

"I did."

"Be right there."

Ten minutes later, Morelli pulled into the garage of Rangeman. He thought she would grow out of it. Stephanie always had a knack for getting into the most bizarre situations. And truth be told, it never really was her fault. He parked across from the crowd around the #2mobile. Even her cars were trouble.

Morelli ambled over to the group. Hands in his pockets, a huge grinned plastered on his face. "Only you, Cupcake."

"This is not my fault!" she insisted. "I just wanted a cheap car…not a hearse!"

"We had to open the trunk with a couple of crowbars," Ranger explained as he led Morelli to the trunk. "Whoever locked the body in the trunk must have broken the key in the lock. I called you right away. Nothing was touched."

Morelli inspected the trunk. "I need to call in the forensics team. We'll need photographs, dust for prints, the whole 9 yards. I don't want to touch anything 'til they get here." Morelli stepped away and made the call.

"I guess I better call Beth," Stephanie sighed. "She's not going to believe this."

"I wouldn't be too sure, Babe. I think she's experienced enough of your life to understand your luck," Ranger joked.

Stephanie rolled her eyes before she headed for the elevator.

Thirty minutes later, several police cars lined Haywood. The forensics team busied themselves with photographing the trunk. Morelli called in the VIN number to trace the previous owners. He sauntered over to Stephanie and Ranger.

"First of all, not one of us believes you had anything to do with the body in your trunk," Morelli began. "But, I have to get your statement about how the car came in your possession. Can we do this in your office?"

Ranger nodded and swept his arm towards the elevators. He took Stephanie's hand, giving it a supportive squeeze. They piled into the elevator, and the doors closed behind them.

"Is there a reason it says…BIO-MOM…on your shirt?" Morelli asked.

Stephanie glanced down at her chest and rolled her eyes. "Some people thought it would be funny to put graffiti on my shirts. I have several others with more interesting comments," she sighed.

"Stephanie told me you are taking the test for the FBI Academy," Ranger broke in. "Good luck."

Morelli nodded. "Thanks. It's something I've wanted to do since I was a kid. If I don't make my move soon, I'll miss my window." All Federal jobs had age limits for applicants. If he didn't get accepted this time, he only had a few more attempts left.

Ranger led them to his office. He sank into his chair and gestured to Morelli to take the seat in front of his desk.

"Would you like some coffee, Joe?" Stephanie offered.

"Oh yeah, Cupcake, that would be great," Joe replied.

After Stephanie returned with coffee and a couple of Ella's biscuits left over from breakfast, she settled in Ranger's lap. She recounted how she got DeJuan's phone number, went to see the car, took it for a test drive, how often she drove it, the round trips it made from Barnwell's salvage yard, and finally that it sat in the garage ever since.

Morelli smiled at the recollection of Stephanie pulling up to the station, and the backfire that created a panic. "Do you still have this DeJuan's number? I'd like to talk to him, too."

Stephanie shook her head. "Sorry, I didn't keep it. Lula might have it. I got it from her. She came with me to get the car."

Morelli's phone buzzed, and he answered it quickly. "Morelli….What?...You're shittin' me…Be right down." He shook his head as he rose from the chair. "How do you do it, Cupcake?"

"What? What'd I do now?" she groaned.

"You're not going to believe who was in your trunk."

Breaking news report on WABC…."_We're standing here outside the Rangeman office on Haywood, and it's been reported that the body of missing teamster's boss, Jimmy Hoffa, has been found inside the trunk of an older model car. The 1966 Chevy Nova belongs to none other than Stephanie Plum, the Bombshell Bounty Hunter of Trenton. A wallet was found along with the skeletal remains that contained Hoffa's driver's license. Hoffa was last seen in July of 1975. For years it was rumored that he was buried under a goal post at Giants Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey…_.."


	17. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

"What!" Ranger grumbled into the phone.

"Did you really find Jimmy Hoffa in Steph's car?" Raoul asked. "It's been all over the news down here."

Ranger rubbed his face with his free hand. He gave Raoul the abbreviated version. Stephanie wouldn't be happy when she found out she made national headlines.

The phones rang off their hooks. Stephanie called her father and filled him in before the shit hit the fan. Then she let his parents know what happened. The rest of the callers were gossip mongers or reporters begging for an exclusive scoop. The situation brought back memories of Stephanie making headlines last fall. The media lay in wait for her and tried to follow her everywhere.

Ranger's concern intensified. Stephanie's pregnancy wasn't a secret, but he preferred their private business to not be exposed to the world. The media would swarm all over her like a pack of dogs. Being a shit-magnet, the last thing Stephanie needed was more psychos claiming to be the father of her twins. She just started to get her life back and rejoin the world, only to be forced into seclusion again. Just when he wanted to encourage her to venture out alone, she needed one of his men with her at all times. Eventually, the insanity would blow over.

Due to the private nature of some of their roles, he didn't want publicity. Keeping a low profile made good business sense. Some of his former enemies may never have known his name but could possibly recognize his face. For most of his undercover operations, he grew facial hair. Either a beard or goatee, but he always had something covering his face. For day to day business, Ranger remained clean shaven. Without trying, Stephanie stood out in a crowd. Even the FBI tried to ugly her up…it didn't work.

Ranger searched the offices for Stephanie. Hal waved to get his attention.

"She went upstairs," Hal told him with a forlorn look. "I think she was crying."

Ranger gave him a nod then hit the stairs. He found Stephanie in front of the living room window looking down at the crowd.

"Babe?" he asked her softly. "Are you all right?" It broke his heart to see her tear stained cheeks and red-rimmed eyes.

She shook her head. "I'm so sorry."

He crossed the room in three long strides. Stephanie launched herself into his embrace. "There's nothing to be sorry about. This wasn't your fault."

"Yes it is. I bought that car without really checking it out. Now the reporters are going to be all over the place. It's going to hurt your business," she insisted.

"It's going to blow over, Stephanie. Just like last time…remember?" he soothed. "That didn't hurt the business then, and neither will this. Unless…."

She sniffled. "Unless what?"

"Unless you were the one that killed Jimmy Hoffa and didn't tell me," he joked. "That would be a neat trick…killing someone before being born."

He felt her chest hitch as she snorted. "You can really be a jerk sometimes. You know that?"

"Yeah…I know. But you love me anyway." He brushed his lips across her forehead and gently kissed her temple.

"I'm not going to be able to leave the building now…am I?" she sighed.

They both looked down on the crowd again. Ranger squeezed her tight.

"Don't worry…we'll think of something. Either I'll take you where ever you want to go, or I'll have the guys take you," Ranger told her.

Her face brightened. "You're so good to me, Carlos."

"If you want, we could go back to Miami for a while. Let this blow over," he suggested.

Stephanie moaned. "That is soooo tempting. But we can't. First, I promised Val I would keep the girls this weekend. She's going away with Hal. And second…I don't want to hide anymore." She looked into his chocolate brown eyes. "I mean…it can't be worse than anything I've already been through."

"Proud of you, Babe."

Just as Ranger predicted, the media mob dissipated after a couple of days. They moved on to DeJuan who conveniently had taken a sudden vacation. Hoffa fever struck Trenton. Internet sites crashed due to the number of hits. People craved information about Jimmy Hoffa, his disappearance, and his mob ties. The best part seemed to be the reporters had abandoned their desire to chase Stephanie. Ranger guessed this was the calm before the storm. The DNA results wouldn't come back for a couple of weeks. He surmised the insanity would return if the DNA confirmed that Jimmy Hoffa's body sat in the trunk of the Nova since 1975.

Lester and Xylia exchanged phone calls all week. The first two dates didn't go anywhere near as expected. In the beginning, the whole religious thing didn't bother him. But now, it felt like a threesome, him, Xylia, and the Lord. Lester could do freaky. This went beyond freaky and into weirdo fetish shit. Shouting out…_Oh God_…was one thing. Making room for _The Lord_ was another. He couldn't explain it, but he felt this strong urge to keep trying with Xylia. Well that…and the fact that he had been rubbing it in the guys' faces that he had a great woman, and they didn't. Lester had his reputation to protect.

Unfortunately, Stephanie and Ranger couldn't join them for dinner on Saturday. Something about babysitting Valerie's kids. Bobby and Tammy invited him and Xylia to dinner. Tammy won some huge scholarship for her PhD program, and Bobby wanted to celebrate. Somehow, Tank and Lula and Morelli and Annemarie got invited as well. As long as he continued to avoid anything pertaining to the devil or the color red, he would be in good shape.

After a few days had passed, Ranger knew Stephanie felt like a caged tiger. Just as he suspected, the press backed off and moved onto someone else's problem. Stephanie covered the monitors and helped with searches to keep herself busy. She would be itching to get out again. Without much in the office to do, she headed up to 7 about an hour ago. His schedule was fairly open so he sent Stephanie a text.

_Want company for lunch?_

A minute later, his phone buzzed with her return message.

_It's a date!_

Stephanie set her plan into motion. She called Ella to request an early lunch. The last few days sucked. The stress from the media drained all of Rangeman. Reporters drove past the building here and there to try to capture her picture to plaster all over Trenton. For once, she took Ranger's advice, and damn it if it didn't work! So as a special thank you, she concocted a command performance for one.

Ranger finished reviewing the last contract when he noticed the time on the wall clock. Lunch time. He popped his head into Tank's office on his way out.

"I'm taking a long lunch, but I'll just be on 7."

Tank waved back without looking up from his computer. With the expectation of an intimate lunch for two, definitely some fooling around, Ranger casually jogged up to their apartment. If he knew what awaited him, he would have run.

The opening guitar riff of_ Burn It To The Ground _filled the apartment as he closed the door behind him. He stalked into the living to find Stephanie dancing on the coffee table. Clad in a black silky negligee that skimmed the tops of her thighs, she recreated her Anchor Café performance in four in FMPs.

Someone could have knocked him over with a feather. Her eyes bore into his. Heat pooled in his stomach and began to sink lower. Maintaining eye contact, he sauntered over to the oversized chair. In his condition, sitting would be painful. As he lowered himself into the chair, he unbuttoned his cargos, slumped down, and continued to enjoy the show.

At the Anchor Café, Ranger had to maintain control. In the comfort of their own home, all bets were off. Stephanie upped her game. Her movements were more sensual and erotic. Erect nipples pressed against the silky fabric of the skimpy and sheer negligee. One of the thin straps slipped off her shoulder exposing the swell of her breast. She seductively slid her hands slowly up her body riding the hem of the skirt with them. Revealing the black, lacey thong underneath caused him to throb. Ranger slowly unzipped his pants to relieve the pressure.

Stephanie watched as Ranger began to stroke himself. Way beyond feral, he appeared to be rabid. Honestly, she didn't think she would last much longer either. Without warning, Ranger sprang into action. He jumped up and scooped her off the coffee table and into his arms. He held her tight as he fell backwards on to the couch. His mouth sought out hers as their tongues battled.

Ranger slid his hands from her waist to find the hem of the negligee. He broke from the kiss to pull it over her head before tossing it over his shoulder. She whimpered as he latched onto a hardened nipple.

Stephanie raised her backside to help Ranger slide his cargos out of their way. Pushing aside the lacey fabric, he positioned himself at her entrance. Teasing him further, she slowly lowered herself inch by inch. Ranger grabbed her hips, pulling her down as he thrust upward. Hearing her gasp in ecstasy, his fingers dug into her hips as he pounded in to her. He didn't think it possible, but he fell in love with Stephanie all over again.

Stephanie reached back in an attempt to remove her shoe.

"No," he croaked. "Leave them on."

Her hands left his shoulders as her fingertips lightly traced the curves of his muscles. As she found the edge of his shirt, she slid her hands underneath and caressed his bare skin. She tugged at the hem, and he responded by raising his arms above his head. Stephanie tossed the offending garment behind her. They continued to explore and enjoy each other's bodies. Their initial frantic coupling slowed to a more playful love making. The intense love and respect for one another helped to lift them their heavenly climax.

Stephanie lay in Ranger's arms, listening to the thumping heart beat in his chest. The scene played over and over in her mind. She had never done anything like that in her life. Well the standing naked on the balcony at the beach thing didn't count. That only lasted a few seconds, and that was because of fear. Then again, she never had the confidence to ever attempt something like this before. Ranger loved her heart and soul. He would never belittle or demean her. She enjoyed driving him wild. Delighted by his enthusiasm, a smile began to spread across her face.

"Wow," he breathed.

She splayed her hand over his heart. "Wow yourself," she giggled. She felt his chest hitch.

"To think I was expecting just lunch," he joked.

"You know me…dessert first," she responded. In turn, her stomach roared to life.

He placed a hand on her belly and began to gently trace a small circle. "I guess I need to feed my family." He threaded his fingers through hers pulling her hand to his lips for a kiss. "Lord knows we're worked up an appetite."

He held her close to his body as he stood. Stephanie wrapped her legs around his waist, and her arms encircled his neck. Pants down around his ankles, Ranger shuffled towards the kitchen. He set Stephanie onto one of the bar stools and slid his newly formed erection inside her.

"One more appetizer," he whispered.

Tank prepared to break for lunch. Lula had called to see if he could meet her at Pino's. His phone buzzed, and the caller ID read the lobby.

"Yeah?"

"There's a Celia McCaffrey here to see Ranger."

"That's Ranger's sister," he told him. "I'll be right down."

Tank jogged down the stairs to greet Celia. Something must be up for her to show up here unannounced. Ranger would have left word if he had been expecting her. He pulled Celia into a bear hug. Ranger's family had become his family.

"This is a nice surprise," Tank said.

"I'm sorry to just show up here. I really need to talk to Carlos. Is he busy? I can come back…"

Tank put up one of his huge baseball mitt sized hands. "No. It's fine. He's here. He's up on 7 having lunch with Stephanie. I'll take you up."

Tank let them into Ranger's apartment, allowing Celia to enter first with him right behind her. Celia gasped and stopped dead in her tracks. His eyes saw it…but it still took what seemed like an eternity to register the scene before him.

"Shit," he muttered when he found his voice again.

Ranger swore under his breath and covered Stephanie with his body. Stephanie frantically attempted to disentangle herself from Ranger's hold. Upon breaking free, she crossed her arms over her bare chest and ran for the bedroom. Celia and Tank profusely apologized. It dawned on him that he was still exposed. Ranger quickly turned and pulled up his pants.

"I'll talk to you later," Ranger growled at Tank.

Tank nodded and backed out of the apartment.

"Carlos," Celia cried, "I'm so sorry for barging in here unannounced. I should have called first."

Ranger stomped over to retrieve his shirt and tugged it back over his head.

"Don't forget, little brother, I used to change your diapers and bathe you. It's nothing that I haven't seen before," Celia joked, trying to lighten the mood to relieve the tension.

"That was a long time ago, Celia," Ranger sighed.

"Has anything changed?"

Ranger looked towards the bedroom door. He rubbed his face with both hands. "God, I hope so." He gestured towards the couch before heading towards the bedroom. "I'll be right back."

Wailing sobs came from the shaking lump under the covers in the middle of their bed. The situation only made Ranger uncomfortable, but he'd get over it quickly. Stephanie, on the other hand, wouldn't. Not having any idea on how to broach this subject, he decided to try humor.

"Babe? Where are you? I can't see you."

Stephanie didn't answer and continued to cry. He crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed.

"I'm sorry about that, Babe. It was embarrassing for both of us," he reasoned.

"But she's your sister! She still has to love you. I'm just her future sister-in-law, and now she'll think I'm nothing but a slut!"

"You know that's not true, Stephanie," Ranger told her.

She sniffed. "You're right…she'll think I'm a _FAT_ slut!"

"Are you going to come out of there? We need to talk about this. I'd rather not talk to the comforter."

"No."

"You have to come out eventually. Or are you planning on giving birth under there?"

"No…I'm sure I'll come out when I go into labor. The pain of having 2 babies rip through my vagina will totally eclipse the humiliation of knowing your sister saw us having sex."

Ranger couldn't help but smirk. He sauntered into the closet to get Stephanie her robe. He tossed it on the corner of the bed.

"Here's you robe, Babe. I've got to talk to Celia. Please come out and join us."

Ranger made a quick pit stop in the bathroom to wash up before dealing with his sister. "I'll have lunch ready. Come and eat with us."

"No! Just go away!"

Celia nervously paced in the living room when he returned. "Carlos, I'm so sorry. Is Stephanie okay? Is she angry with me?"

Ranger shook his head. "She's embarrassed. I don't know if she's going to come out here."

"I'd better talk to her," Celia insisted.

Ranger shrugged. "I don't know if that's such a good idea, Celia. She's pretty upset. Maybe we should just leave her alone."

Celia dismissed him and marched into the bedroom. Ranger sighed and dutifully followed her.

The wailing lump in the bed had been reduced to hitches and sniffles. Celia gently sat on the corner of the bed.

"Stephanie," she began softly, "I hope you can forgive me for being so rude and inconsiderate. I don't know what I would do if I lost your respect."

The lump became silent. It was almost a full minute before it spoke. "Huh?"

"I'm so sorry for barging in here uninvited and unannounced. Please forgive me?"

Sniffling, Stephanie crawled to the nearest edge of the comforter and peered up at Celia and Ranger from the hole. "F-forgive _you_? Y-you don't t-think I'm a s-slut?"

Celia gently pushed Stephanie's hair back off her face. "No, I don't. I barged in when you were sharing your love with my brother. It's _my_ fault. You didn't do anything wrong. You're having his children, Stephanie. It's not a secret that the 2 of you have been intimate."

Celia looked back at Ranger. "I came because I need your help. John had gotten himself in really big trouble, and I don't know what to do," Celia explained.

Immediately, Stephanie snapped out of her pity party, and the focus changed to John. "Is John all right?"

"He's in jail. He was arrested last night. It's bad." Celia's calm and cool demeanor disintegrated. Tears welled in her eyes.

"What happened?" Ranger demanded as he sat beside her and pulled her into a hug.

Stephanie frantically dragged her robe under the comforter to dress herself. Once clothed, Stephanie climbed out from the comforter and grabbed a box of tissues. She flopped on the bed on the other side of Celia.

"He's been hanging around this kid, Miguel lately. I just didn't get a good vibe from this kid. John's pretty much been a good kid. He's not perfect. I don't have any delusions that he always follows my rules, but this is so out of character for him." Celia took the offered tissue and dabbed her eyes.

"Last night, he and 4 other boys were arrested for stealing a car, armed robbery, and shooting the clerk at 7-Eleven," she explained.

"What?" Stephanie cried.

Ranger had to agree. John could be a wise-ass at times. Typical teenage shit. This was unrreal.

"He says he didn't know what was happening," Celia continued. "John said he didn't know the car was stolen, or what the other boys had planned. They stopped at the store, so one kid could buy cigarettes. Before he knew what was happening, another kid pointed the gun at the clerk and shot him. He panicked. He left with them because he was scared and didn't know what to do."

"Where is he now?" Ranger asked.

Celia told him while Ranger punched Hunter William's number into his phone. Ranger explained the situation. Hunter promised he would make some calls and get to Newark as soon as he could.

"My attorney's on it, Celia," Ranger assured her. "We'll get him out of jail and figure out what to do."

Stephanie's stomach demanded attention again. "Sorry," she joked. "We're kind of hungry. Despite what you may have seen, we really were getting ready to have lunch. Why don't we eat while Hunter finds out what's going on?"

Celia hugged Stephanie then Ranger. "Thank you. That sounds really good. I haven't eating since dinner last night. I've been such a mess, but I'm starting to feel a little better now. I probably sound like a typical mother, but I believe John. I think he was just in the wrong place at the wrong time."

"Me too, Celia. I can't see John doing something like that either," Stephanie agreed.

"Don't worry, Celia. I'll take care of everything," Ranger said.

"Why don't you 2 go ahead and start? I need to freshen up and get dressed, and I'll join you in a few minutes," Stephanie insisted.


	18. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

Celia picked at her lunch while Stephanie devoured hers. Ranger noticed how exhausted his oldest sister looked. Celia and Raoul had always been the back bone of the family. Everyone looked to them for guidance or leaned on them in a crisis. Ranger was only thirteen when John was born. She had her twins just after he husband died when Ranger had joined the Army. Not too long after that, he met Rachel. It all seemed like a lifetime ago. He hadn't been there for Celia and the boys like he should have. This time, he would take care of his sister.

"I'm sorry about pulling you into this mess," Celia told them. "Especially after finding Jimmy Hoffa in the trunk of your car this week. You 2 have been through enough this year."

Stephanie almost choked on her chocolate cake while Ranger shook his head.

"Celia…you have no idea," Ranger agreed. "Stephanie has definitely made my life more interesting. And here I thought retiring from the Army was going to leave a void in my life."

"It wasn't my fault!" Stephanie insisted. "I did not request a car with a rotting corps in the trunk!"

Celia noticed Stephanie's shirt for the first time. _RANGER JUNIOR AND THE PLAYER TO BE NAMED LATER._ "Cute."

Stephanie glanced down then rolled her eyes. "The guys got creative with my uniform shirts while we were in Miami. I didn't think going to the police station wearing a shirt that says…._GRENADES ON BOARD_…would be in our best interest."

After what seemed like a life time, Hunter finally called back Ranger. He explained to Ranger that the DA wanted to offer a deal. John had no prior record, and they really wanted the trigger man. He also informed Ranger that the store clerk died. Hunter said he would meet them in DA's office in an hour.

Ranger called the control room to make arrangements to have Celia's car driven home. He didn't want Celia behind the wheel now. Exhausted and drained, she neared the end of her rope. He looked at the wide eyed of faces of Celia and Stephanie.

"Well?" Stephanie demanded.

"The store clerk died. The DA wants to offer John a deal," Ranger explained.

"What's that mean? Can we take him home today?" Celia asked.

"I don't know. We need to go. We're meeting with Hunter and the DA in an hour," Ranger told them. "Give me your keys, Celia. I've arranged to have my men take your car home. I'll drive."

As expected, Stephanie conked out across the backseat. Celia glanced over her shoulder at the snoring form. Ranger smirked.

"Please don't tell her that she snores," he joked.

"She looks great, Carlos," Celia said. "How's she been feeling?"

"Much better. Gets tired easily, but the morning sickness is gone."

"Having twins can knock the stuffing out of you. I'm speaking from experience. I was more tired with the twins than I was with John." Celia glanced back at Stephanie again. "I would be fine one minute and ready for a nap the next."

Ranger smirked as he snuck a glance at Stephanie through his rearview mirror.

Celia dropped her head against the seat. "What kind of deal do you think this is?"

Ranger pursed his lips before answering. "I'm guessing they want him to roll over on the others. Testify against them."

Celia groaned. "I was afraid of that."

Just as Ranger expected, the DA's deal required that John testify against his friend and the other two gang members. With John's clean record, he offered total immunity. No charges or probation. The DA had the agreement in writing and handed it to Hunter.

"I knew your brother Raoul back from when I was an ADA. His busts were clean. I owe him because we would have lost a few cases if it hadn't been for him," the DA told Ranger and Celia. "This is a back-up plan. If we can get one of the other punks to roll on the triggerman, we won't need John."

"May we have a few minutes to discuss this in private?" Hunter asked.

The DA nodded. "You can use my office. I'll step outside. I have a call I need to return on another matter. We can discuss any questions you have when I get back."

"I'm sorry, Mom," John whispered. "I didn't know they stole the car. Honest. I thought T-Day was getting cigarettes. That's all."

"You were supposed to be watching your brothers, John," Celia scolded. "First…it was a school night. Second…I was counting on you to take care of your brothers."

"I know," he told her. "I'm sorry. I didn't think we'd be gone long. I went into the store to buy them some candy."

"Hush candy?" Stephanie mused out loud.

"I'm sorry!" John insisted. "I'll do whatever I have to to get out of this. I swear. I'll never do anything like this again. But if I rat on my friends, they're going to come after me."

Ranger, who had been leaning against the wall with his arms crossed, strolled over and took the empty chair next to Celia. "You'll come back and stay with me. You'll finish your school work and work for my company. I'll have guards watch the twins until school is out. Then, they will stay with Raoul until we can get a handle on this. Celia…you stay with Mama and Papa. Is there any way you can take a leave of absence from work?"

"I need to work, Carlos," Celia told him softly.

"I can help you…" Ranger began.

"No. I appreciate the offer, but we're short staffed. I've been filling in a lot of holes in the schedules. I can't take time off," she explained.

"The MS-13 aren't as organized as the Latin Kings," Ranger said. "But they are violent. I was never officially jumped in with the Latin Kings, but I ran with them. I still have a few contacts on the inside. I'll find out the word on the street. That kid, Aguilar, is illegal. He might face deportation. This could affect his family as well as others. To save himself and his family, he might roll over on the triggerman, Gutierrez. If this plays out right, it will blow over."

Ranger turned to Hunter. "Make sure the deal includes that John walks because of his offer to testify. The deal still stands whether they need him or not. If Aguilar testifies, John is free and clear and stays off the stand," Ranger insisted.

The DA returned. "Good news. Sounds like we won't need John right now. You never know…this guy might change his mind at the last minute. This deal is good whether you have to testify or not. If you stay out of trouble, the record gets wiped clean when you turn 18," the DA reiterated.

"Yes Sir!" John piped up.

"Can we take him home now?" Celia pleaded.

"In a little while," the DA explained. "We have to take this before the judge. It will probably be a couple of hours."

Celia hugged John.

"I'm sorry, Mom," he whispered.

"While we're waiting," Ranger interrupted, "I'll take you home so you can pack John's things. We also need to tell Papa about what's going on."

Ranger made all the arrangements for protection for Celia, his parents, and the twins. He called Hector and asked him to put his ear to the ground. He met Hector through his affiliation with the Latin Kings. Hector's older brother had been killed in a drive-by. Ranger felt an obligation to give Hector the chance his brother never had. Hector could find out the word on the street.

If the situation escalated, Raoul, Maria, and the twins would be moved to Miami. Celia resisted leaving because of her job, but agreed she would go as a last resort. Despite being angry at John, Ranger fully understood what he felt. Besides, John didn't steal the car or shoot the clerk. Ranger had done much worse.

Raoul took the news better than Maria. She cried because John had been arrested. Then she cried for Celia. Raoul tried his best to console her.

"Carlos and Celia have this under control. Everything is going to be fine," Raoul soothed.

Celia attempted to comfort her as did Ranger. Nothing worked. Stephanie had an idea. They hadn't made an official announcement of their wedding date. Only a handful of people knew about it.

"Um…this might be a bad time to tell you, Mama…but Carlos and I set the date. We're getting married on his birthday," Stephanie blurted out.

Maria's head popped up as she sniffled. "Huh?"

"Yeah, Mama…Stephanie and I are getting married on August 12th. We just didn't tell anyone yet," Ranger added.

"Oh!" Maria began to cry again, but this time for happiness. She jumped up and hugged Stephanie.

"I'm so happy for you both! Oh mi Carlito!" She then hugged Ranger. "My baby is _finally_ getting married."

Ranger straightened up, and Stephanie bit her lower lip. Raoul slowly shook his head.

"Uh…well…," Maria stammered. "That other one doesn't count. You are finally marrying the woman you love. That is what is important."

Raoul slung his arm around her. "Good save, Maria."

Maria gave him a dismissive wave. "Quiet, old man. They know what I meant."

The ride back to Trenton seemed to take forever. The oppressive tension in the car weighed heavy on them all. Ranger drove in his zone. John stared blankly out the window. Stephanie's stomach had been quietly grumbling for the last thirty minutes, but it now betrayed her and broke the silence. Ranger's mouth twitched. Without taking his eyes off the road, he reached over and rubbed her belly.

"I guess they're hungry," he joked.

Stephanie nodded. "Can we stop and get something to eat?"

Ranger glanced at the time. "We'll just use the drive through."

"Are you hungry, John?" Stephanie turned in the seat to ask him.

"Starving."

Ranger pulled into the next McDonalds and picked up food from the drive through. He didn't know who ate faster….Stephanie or John.

"Have you thought about what you are going to do after high school?" Ranger asked him.

John shrugged. "I'd like to do something with computers. Not just programming. I want to learn to design them too."

"That's great. That's a good field to get into, John," Stephanie added.

"I've been looking for a cheaper school. I haven't found what I wanted yet."

"A cheaper school?" Ranger frowned.

"Well, I really want to go to MIT. I know we can't afford it. My grades aren't bad, but I don't think I'll get any scholarships," John told them. "I haven't found a program like MIT's yet."

Ranger pursed his lips. Rangeman handled security for some major players in the Boston area. If John got accepted to MIT, Ranger would help him do anything and everything to attend. With his father's military status as KIA, Celia being a single parent, his multi-ethnicity, and Ranger's connections, John would be eligible for many grants, scholarships, and financial aid programs. And whatever he didn't qualify for, Ranger would pick up the tab.

"Have you applied to MIT yet?" Ranger asked him.

John shook his head. "Not yet. I wanted to retake the SATs in the fall to bring up my scores."

Ranger nodded. "Send in your application. If you get accepted, we'll figure out a way to pay for it."

John's jaw dropped. "Are you serious, Uncle Carlos?"

"I expect you to work hard. Even if you have to work for me between semesters. An MIT education will open up doors for you. Show me how bad you want it, and I will help you get it," Ranger informed him.

"Thank you," John whispered.

Ranger smirked. "Don't thank me yet. You'll need a good night's sleep because we start PT at oh-five-thirty tomorrow."

Stephanie and John groaned.

"Carlos, give him a break," Stephanie begged.

"Not just him, Babe," Ranger replied with a sly smile. "You, too. You can use the treadmill. Time to get back in shape."

"Not at oh-five-thirty-hundred or whatever," she snapped back. "_We_ don't get up that early."

"_We_ do now."

"Shit," Stephanie muttered.

Ranger brought John to the empty studio apartment on 4. This apartment was used for visiting Rangeman employees. A full size bed sat in the far corner, two easy chairs and a medium sized TV filled the rest of the large room. A counter with two bar stools sectioned off the galley style kitchen. Other than the entrance, one door held the closet while the other opened to the bathroom.

Ranger instructed him on how to use the phone. He handed back John his cell phone. "I'm only letting you have this, so it will be easier for your mother to call you. Don't call any of your friends, and don't tell anyone where you are. I'm trusting you to follow the rules. You will lose privileges for breaking them."

"I promise, Uncle Carlos," John insisted. "I'm sorry I got everyone into this mess. I just wanted to…" He trailed off.

Ranger motioned him to continue.

John shrugged. "We were supposed to be meeting these girls. Miguel said we wouldn't be gone long. We wanted to see if they were going to this party on Saturday. I didn't want to tell my Mom because she freaked out when she found condoms in my drawer."

Ranger nodded. After everything that had happened today, he just didn't have the energy to talk about condoms with John. If John had questions or asked for advice another time, it wouldn't be a problem. He walked to the door.

"After PT, we'll have breakfast. I'll introduce you to the team at the morning meeting. Then I'm going to pair you up with Hector. He's got an installation of a security system tomorrow. You want to learn about computers…Hector is our resident expert. Dinner is at 6. Just come up to the 7th floor."

John nodded. "I'm going to lay down for a little while," he yawned. "I didn't get any sleep last night."

Ranger turned and opened the door.

"Uncle Carlos?"

Ranger paused in the doorway.

"Thanks…for everything."

Ranger gave him a curt nod and left.

Ranger found Tank in his office. Tank gave him a sheepish look. He still felt sick to his stomach about walking in on him and Bombshell that afternoon. He tried to talk to Stephanie, but she wouldn't even look at him. That wasn't the first time he had seen Ranger in action. But, Bombshell was like his little sister. He didn't have a desire to see them having sex.

"Everything all right?" Tank asked him.

Ranger had given him a brief update while Celia packed John's things. "John's damn lucky one of the other punks decided to roll over his friend."

"But you're still worried," Tank added.

"I don't trust the MS 13." Ranger sank back into his chair. "I don't trust mi clicka either, but I'll be able to get Intel from them. John's an easy target."

"The rat's going to pin it on John." Tank understood.

"Exactly. I need to keep my family safe until this blows over. I need to find out how high these punks rank. I need to find out from John how much they know about him."

"You mean you didn't grill him already?" Tank smirked.

"He's spent," Ranger explained. "And I've got him set up for a full day tomorrow. He's a good kid that was getting ready to go down the wrong path. I should have been around more for my family. A lot more. He wants to go to MIT, and I'm going to make sure he gets there."

"You're going to whip his ass into shape?"

Ranger shook his head. "_We're_ going to whip his ass into shape."

Tank chuckled but quickly sombered. "How should I handle things with Bombshell? I tried to talk to her before, but she….wasn't too receptive."

Ranger stiffened.

"I'm sorry, man," Tank apologized. "I wasn't thinking. I should have called first. You know how much I care about her. I don't want her hating me."

Ranger rubbed his face with both hands. "She's doesn't hate you, Tank. She's embarrassed."

"Embarrassed?"

"Don't forget what she's been through," Ranger reminded him. "If it wasn't for Celia asking for help with John, I think she'd still be under the covers. I think it brought up some bad memories."

Tank winced and dropped his face into his hands. He felt the bile rise in the back of his throat. After her horrible experience, their apartment had been her safe haven. Did he take that away from her? "Shit. Did I set her back?"

"I'm not going to let that happen. I'm dragging her out of bed tomorrow morning to work out. I've got receipts for her to drop off at Vinnie's. I plan on keeping her busy," Ranger told him. "Besides, I don't think she wants to lock herself away anymore. I'll talk to her tonight. Just give her a little space. She loves you too much to stay away from you."

"Are you going to kick my ass?"

Ranger pursed his lips. "I should, Tank. I really should. Lucky for you, I've got too much to deal with right now. Maybe some other time."

Stephanie fell asleep early. Missing one of her daily naps, in addition to all the excitement of the day, she had passed out while watching TV. Ranger scooped her up and tucked her into bed. Actually, it worked out better this way. He planned on waking her up early to exercise. If she got enough sleep, the task might not be as unpleasant as expected.

After putting Stephanie to bed, Ranger met John in the Rec room on 4. John already knew Tank. He had met Lester and Bobby a few times, but never met Ram, Woody, Hal, or Hector.

"John's going to be staying with us for a while. He's interested in computer systems. Hector….he'll help you with the install tomorrow. He's going to learn the ropes here, and eventually, will take a turn shadowing each team," Ranger told them.

"Can we teach him to shoot?" Ram asked.

John's eyes widened in anticipation. "Can I learn to shoot, Uncle Carlos? That would be cool."

All eyes turned to Ranger. "We'll see. Remember…I'll meet you in the gym at oh-five-thirty. Don't stay up too late. Good night, gentlemen."

Ranger made sure he was dressed and ready when he attempted to wake Stephanie. When he started to meet resistance, he pulled the guilt card.

"We need to set a good example for John. Please help me, Babe."

Without opening her eyes, she responded, "You so owe me chocolate cake for that one."

"All I'm asking is that you do 30 minutes on the treadmill with John. I know he's not in good enough shape to run with me yet. I'll do my run, and come back to help him with some training. Then, you can go back to bed. Please?"

She groaned and tossed the covers to the side. "Guilt with 2 pleases? I think another night out with dancing is in order here."

Ranger raised an eyebrow. "That's a deal."

He helped her up and onto her feet.

"Don't forget we're having Val's girls stay with us this weekend. She didn't say where they were going, but I've been thinking about that…."

"That could be dangerous."

She swatted his behind. "Would it be okay if they use the beach house? It's so beautiful there…and quiet. This is such a huge step for Valerie. I want the whole weekend to be special for her."

"That place is turning into the love shack," Ranger joked. "Sure, Babe. Just keep it quiet. I don't want everyone thinking they can use the place whenever."

John waited for them in the gym. "I'm ready, Uncle Carlos. What are we going to do?"

"We'll need to find out what kind of shape you are in first. How often do you work out?"

John shrugged. "Well, I play softball in gym class. That's about it."

Ranger nodded. "That's what I thought. I'm going for my run. I want you to start with the treadmill today. Stephanie will keep you company. When I get back, we'll see what you can do and take it from there."

John looked confused.

"Well if Carlos does what he put me through earlier this year, he'll see how many push-ups and sit-ups and stuff that you can do," Stephanie explained.

Ranger smiled at the memory. Stephanie had been in horrible shape. "It will be pretty much the same thing. I'll take Ivy with me. Be back soon."

"Come on, John. I'll show you how to work this thing."

John hopped on his treadmill. Stephanie explained the controls.

"There are a bunch of work out programs in there, and we have all the iFit cards with more. I would start at a basic one. It automatically adjusts the speed and incline which is nice."

Stephanie brought her iPod, but noticed that John didn't have one. "Do you want to watch TV? Here's the remote. Most of the guys put the news on, but you can put on whatever you want."

John smiled. "That's okay."

Stephanie enjoyed her conversation with John. She avoided bringing up the arrest and the deal. He asked about how she had been feeling, and they talked about her and Ranger's upcoming wedding.

"Is Uncle Carlos disappointed in me?"

Stephanie shook her head. "No. Let's face it, John. You did something stupid. But you made a mistake. If anyone understands…he does. His parents had to take some drastic measures with him because he wasn't learning from his mistakes. Carlos is impressed that you are taking this seriously. With him, it's not always about how well you do but how hard you try. He expects 100%. I think he feels like by helping you, he's giving back to his family for helping him. He loves you, John."

John looked relieved. "Good," he breathed. "I don't want Uncle Carlos thinking I'm a loser. Or my Mom. I know sometimes I get a little resentful for having to watch my brothers all the time. She works hard for us. Having to call her and tell her I was in jail was the hardest thing I've ever had to do. I thought she wouldn't believe me."

"She _did_ believe you," Stephanie insisted.

Woody and Ram filed in followed by Lester.

"Holy Shit!" Lester joked. "We'll probably have a blizzard today. What are you doing up at this hour? The sun's not up yet."

"After my work out, I'm going to bake some muffins!" Stephanie retorted. She turned to John. "That should shut them up."

Lester gagged as the others laughed. He jumped on the Cybex trainer in the corner and began his work out as did the others. Ranger finally returned. Stephanie had been so engrossed in her conversation with John, she didn't realize almost an hour had passed.

"See, Babe…that wasn't so bad."

Stephanie and John shut down their respective treadmills and dismounted.

"No…it wasn't. But I have a 30 minute credit now," she replied. She gave him a quick peck. "I'm going back to bed. I'll see you at breakfast."

John didn't do too badly. His positive attitude and strong effort impressed Ranger. He really seemed to appreciate the opportunity Ranger gave him. Ella ordered extra uniforms for John but would take a couple of days to arrive. Being about the same size as Hector, he lent John an extra set.

Stephanie avoided the morning meeting because she wanted to avoid Tank. Ranger asked her if she would drop of body receipts and pick up some checks at Vinnie's. She agreed but looked a little nervous. Ranger retrieved a small device that looked something like an iPod shuffle.

"Here," he told her as he handed it to her. "Keep this in your pocket. It's a panic button. Push that, and it will send an alert as well as your location directly to the monitor station. If you get into any trouble, or even if you just feel scared, push it. We'll be there before you know it."

She slipped it into her back pocket. "You think of everything…you know that?"

He kissed her forehead. "That's my job. Especially protecting the most important people in my life."

Stephanie exited the elevator and into the garage. She looked back and forth between the Escape and the Mustang. _Come on, Stephanie_, her inner voice told her, _time to join the real world and drive that Mustang_. Besides, she had the panic button in case anything happened. She knew Ranger would be pleased if she finally drove the Mustang. Hell, _she_ would be pleased to finally drive her Mustang. She slid inside.

The Mustang still had that new car smell. Which was a kabillion times better than that dead squirrel/Jimmy Hoffa smell. She adjusted her seat and the mirrors before cranking up the engine. She knew the guys probably watched her on the monitors, so she gave a little wave before pulling out. As she rounded the corner, her phone buzzed. Ranger sent her a text.

_Proud of you, Babe_

Stephanie decided to stop and get a dozen doughnuts from the Tasty Pasty. She hadn't done that in a long time. Just spend time with Connie and Lula like old times. She didn't know if it was the time of day or the Rangeman parking gods smiling down on her, but she found an empty spot right in front of the bonds office.

"Good morning, girls!" she greeted.

"Oh my God!" Connie screamed in excitement. "It's been like forever! It's so good to see you!"

She bear hugged Stephanie as Lula took the doughnut box.

"GRENADES ON BOARD?" Lula scoffed as she grabbed a doughnut. "What does that mean?"

Stephanie ran her hands down her belly. "Oh…you can thank your man for that one. Since they call me Bombshell…he calls the twins…grenades. The guys got creative with my maternity shirts."

Connie splayed her hands on Stephanie's belly. "I can't believe this. You look so adorable pregnant," she cooed. "Can you feel them moving around yet?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes in memory of the first time she did feel them move for real. "Yeah…it's kind of weird. At first, it felt like flutters like it was gas or something."

Stephanie selected a jelly doughnut and flopped on the couch. "So…what are you guys doing today?"

Connie tapped the folder that Stephanie placed on her desk. "Working on these. Here." She handed Stephanie an envelope with the checks for Rangeman.

Lula took her second doughnut. "I've got one today. Some old man that was arrested for disturbing the peace and shit." She stuffed the last bit into her mouth and licked her fingers.

"It's been a slow week. It always is just before school gets out for the summer," Connie added.

"Oh…I just love my laptop, White Girl!" Lula gushed. "And the best part is that my asshole next door neighbor gives me free WiFi. I was able to get on the internet with his service. I don't even have to pay for it or nothin'! Lula was surfin' the net for hours last night…fo' free!"

Connie and Stephanie laughed.

"I don't have to use the library or my friend's computer no more. Especially when you want to Google stuff like…_big cocks_. There are tons of free sites with all kinds of porn. You can't do that at the library. I used to be able to…but those bitches started blocking' all my favorite sites. It was nice lookin' at internet porn in the privacy of my own home." Lula added, "You didn't have to do that…but I really appreciate it."

"Well…if you hadn't insisted that I come along, we wouldn't have gotten that second FTA. So you really earned it," Stephanie explained.

Connie snapped her fingers. "I've got an idea. I'll use petty cash money to get us a wireless router. That way you can use your laptop here," Connie offered.

"You don't have wireless now?" Stephanie frowned.

Connie smacked her lips and slapped the top of the large monitor. "Look at this museum piece. Does it _look_ like it's got WiFi? Vinnie almost had a stroke when I told him that most of the newer programs won't work on this dinosaur anymore. We need to upgrade. We have the highest speed internet with the Trenton's slowest computer!"

"So what are you doing today, White Girl? I see you finally drivin' that damn fine automobile," Lula asked.

Stephanie shrugged. "So far, I'm doing it. We've got Celia's son John staying with us for a little bit. You're going to see him with the guys. It's not a total secret, but just don't spread that around."

"Is he in trouble?" Connie prodded.

"Sort of. Well…we're keeping him safe. So the less that people know…the better," Stephanie sighed.

"Well…if you ain't got nothin' to do," Lula began, "why don't you come with me? We'll pick up that geezer then go shoppin'."

Stephanie chewed on her lower lip. Ranger didn't want her chasing skips anymore, but she just helped him with an undercover job. Everything went fine. Lula would do all the work, and she would just go along for the ride. But, it would be better if she let Ranger know what she was doing. If he had a cow, she wouldn't go. Stephanie reached into her bag and rummaged around for her phone. Texting was a wonderful invention.

_Going with Lula to pick up an old man. Then going to the mall. Love you._

Lula and Connie polished off the remaining doughnuts. Stephanie's phone buzzed about thirty seconds later. Holding her breath, she glanced at the message.

_Be careful. Love you 2_


	19. Chapter 19

Author's Note: First…I wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas. Second…I wanted to mention that I might not post any chapters next week. If I do, it will only be one and probably on Wednesday. As I have said earlier, this story is dedicated to the memory of my nephew. My brother and SIL mentioned that they couldn't handle being home for Christmas and were going to come stay with us. Then they decided that they needed to stay home instead of running away. Well, yesterday my mother called and informed me that her, my dad, my brother, SIL, nephew, and their new dog are coming for Christmas and will be here Friday! Can you say YIKES in 9 different languages? But I've been feeling guilty because I feel such a strong need to be with them since this is going to be a difficult time. Especially with his birthday coming up on January 4th. The story is about ¾ of the way done anyway, but I won't have much time to work on it and don't want to get too far behind. If I don't post a chapter next week, I will resume the Monday/Thursday schedule on January 3rd. I hope you all understand and have happy and healthy holidays! Sue

**Chapter 19**

Stephanie insisted Lula drive. She wanted to show Ranger that she could be responsible. Lula would do all the work, and she was just along for the ride. The FTA was a crazy old man. Lula should be able to handle him. After she turned him in, got her body receipt, and had Connie cut the check, they would take the Mustang to the mall.

Harold McMurtle lived in a retirement community on the edge of the city limits. For those that were able to care for themselves, the facility had several rows of townhomes. As the residents needed more assistance, they moved into the studio apartments. McMurtle lived in one of the townhomes on the end row. Lula pulled into the empty driveway.

"Come on, White Girl," she said. "Let's get Grandpa, so I can go shoppin'."

Stephanie followed Lula to the front door. Lula tapped the door bell. Nothing. She rang it again. Still nothing.

"I hope he's not dead," Stephanie muttered under her breath.

"Me neither," Lula agreed. "I don't want no old dead guy in my car. It was bad enough drivin' around that Dennis Hopper guy. I told you that car smelt."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Jimmy Hoffa…and I didn't look in the trunk. Let's not forget…you were the one that suggested DeJuan in the first place."

"Yeah…but I told you not to buy that piece a shit either," Lula shot back.

Mr. McMurtle still hadn't come to the door. Lula started with a firm knock that quickly turned into a bang. A few seconds later, the sound of stomping feet came closer to the door.

"Quit bangin' on my door you big, fat, doofus!" he yelled as he swung the door open.

The man that punched Ram in the balls at Costco glared at them from the doorway. He was clad only in tidy whities hiked to his mid chest. His testicles hung down to his mid thigh.

"Oh my God!" Lula screamed. Wildly swinging her arms in panic, she knocked Stephanie off the stoop and into a huge pricker hedge.

"Get outta here! I was takin' my nap, and you woke me up!" He scolded Lula as he pointed his finger in her face. His low hangers continued to jiggle and wiggle.

"Damn!" Lula cried. "I ain't never seen nothin' like that in my life. Look at those old tea bags! Holy shit….I'm blind. I cain't see. I got hysterectical blindness! How am I gonna see to shop now?"

Stephanie cried out for help. The thorns held her in place as they dug into her delicate skin. Unbeknownst to her, she also fell on the panic button. Lula ranted and raved while she staggered onto the front lawn. Mr. McMurtle turned his wrath to Stephanie.

"Get the hell outta my hedge! You're ruining it!"

"I'm stuck! Lula…help me!" Stephanie begged.

"I cain't see! That was worse than watchin' Clitorus Leachman on Dancin' With the Stars!"

For Stephanie to push her panic button, the situation had to be bad. Ranger's anxiety went through the roof when he couldn't reach her by phone. He called a general alarm, and all on-duty personnel raced to the scene. Tank tried to calm him down by calling Lula. When Lula didn't answer, both fought to remain in control.

The minutes it took to get to the location felt like hours. They came upon Lula stumbling around on the lawn but no sign of Stephanie. More black vehicles stormed the neighborhood. The residents emerged from their homes to watch the display before them.

"I still cain't see!" Lula cried.

"Lula Baby…you okay? What happened?" Tank demanded as he ran towards her.

"Tankie? That you? I'm blind. I got the hysterectical blindness from the low hangers. It was horrible!" Lula whined.

"Where's Stephanie?" Ranger demanded.

"Carlos…help! I'm stuck!" came a feeble cry from the large hedge.

"Babe?" Ranger attempted to pull back a large branch but got punctured by several sharp thorns. He hissed as he snatched his arm back.

"I'm stuck. And it hurts," she whined.

Ranger jumped onto the stoop to get a better look at the situation. Entangled in the thorns, Stephanie's hair seemed to have gotten the worst of it. Blood beaded up around the many scratches on her arms and neck.

Bobby tossed Ranger a pair of thick leather gloves and donned his own. Lester started to cut away branches with a set of bolt cutters.

"Hang on, Beautiful," he told her. "We'll have you outta there in a minute."

"Hurry," she begged. "I have to pee."

Tank finally calmed down Lula. Her vision started to return…but not for long.

With all the commotion going on, the old man reemerged. Still in his chest-high drawers, the family jewels jingled freely. "Get off my property!"

"Oh my God! Not again. I'm blind!"

The guys stopped what they were doing to check out the old man. Gasps and groans of disgust escaped their mouths.

"Ram…that's the old guy from Costco!" Woody laughed.

Ranger dropped his gaze and almost gagged. The guy's nut sack practically bounced off his knees. The next thing he knew, the old man began to swing at him. Ranger held him off by clamping his hand on top of the old man's head. Mr. McMurtle continued to swing his arms at Ranger but couldn't reach him.

"Somebody grab this guy," Ranger sighed as he held off the little old man.

Ram grabbed a wrist in mid swing, while Woody attempted to get the other one. Mr. McMurtle continued to wriggle causing his balls to swing almost like a tassel.

"Now I'm blind," Ranger muttered under his breath.

Bobby had most of Stephanie's hair untangled, and Lester cut away a huge section of the hedge and almost had access to her.

"Let me go, you big doofus!" Mr. McMurtle howled at Ram. He wilted in Ram's grasp. His twig-like legs tripped Woody who in turn tripped Ram. The three of them toppled to the sidewalk in a heap.

"Aw shit," Ram's muffled voice groaned. Mr. McMurtle fell on top of him with his privates hanging dangerously close to Ram's right cheek. "Get this guy's balls outta my face!"

"Eat me, you big doofus!"

Tank pulled Woody off Mr. McMurtle. Then, he cuffed the old man before standing him back on his feet.

Ranger helped Bobby get the rest of her hair loose and began to gently remove the branches stuck to her arms.

"Please hurry, Carlos. I really have to go," she pleaded again.

"I'm trying, Babe. I don't want to rip these out of you. I don't want to hurt you," he explained.

"It already hurts," she cried. "Please!"

Lester finally cut away enough of the hedge to get her out. He dropped the bolt cutters and began to peel away the branches stuck in her legs.

"I'm going to help Lula get this guy down to the station," Tank told Ranger. "You guys all right here?"

"Yeah, we got it," Ranger replied. "One more on this side, Babe. Hang on."

"Sit her up slow," Bobby warned. "I don't know what's stuck in her back."

Ranger gently lifted her as Bobby peeled away the thorny branches from her back.

"Her legs are clear," Lester said. He held her legs up to prevent getting scratched again.

"She's clear," Bobby told them.

Ranger and Lester lifted her up and out of the hedge. Stephanie squirmed to get loose. As soon as they placed her on her feet, she ran inside Mr. McMurtle's house to search for his bathroom.

They watched as Tank hauled the old man into the back seat of Lula's Firebird. Lula handed Ranger Stephanie's bag.

"Tell her that we can go shoppin' another day. I need to go home and take some aspirin. I have to lay down after that traumatic event. That old man needs to learn to keep his junk _in the house_ if you know what I'm sayin'."

Ranger gave her a quick nod.

"Let me outta here…you big black doofus!"

Lula waved to Tank who frantically urged her to get going. "Shit…we gotta go. I'm gonna have to replace my back seat. I can't stand the thought of those naked tea bags on my fine leather."

Stephanie staggered through the front door and onto the porch. "That was so gross. There was _pee_ on the toilet seat," she whined. "And I hurt!"

Ranger reached into her back pocket and removed the panic button. He flipped the top and slid the notch to the left to reset it. He gently lifted one arm to get a better look at the scratches.

"Let's get you home and cleaned up. We can treat this with some neo-sporin," Bobby told her.

"I feel like I've got bee stings and paper cuts all over me," she cried.

"What happened?" Ranger asked her as he guided her to the SUV.

"We rang the bell, but no one answered. Finally Lula banged on the door. He comes flying out and starts yelling. Lula starts screaming that she was blind and knocked me into the pricker bush," she explained as a single tear leaked from her eye. "How did you know to come here?"

"I'm guessing you fell on your panic button, Babe. You didn't answer your phone, so I called out the National Guard."

"Other than the scratches, are you hurt anywhere else?" Bobby asked as he continued to look her over.

She shook her head. "No, Bobby…I'm okay."

Ranger dug her keys out of her bag. "Here." He handed them to Lester. "Bobby will take us home. Ram and Woody can drop you off to get her car."

Lester grinned from ear to ear. They all had been drooling over that car for the last several weeks. He had been dying to take it for a spin. The smiled slipped as he watched them help Stephanie into the SUV.

"Hey Beautiful…how about I stop and get you a chocolate milkshake from Mickey D's?"

A little smile broke through the pained expression. "I love you, Lester! And I'll love you even more if you get French fries, too."

"You got it," he replied.

Ranger helped Stephanie apply the neo-sporin on all the gouges and scratches after she showered. She donned one of his tee shirts. She attempted to pull on her yoga pants, but they were too snug and uncomfortable. She grabbed a pair of Ranger's silk boxers instead.

"Feel better?" Ranger asked.

"I took some Tylenol, but these things really sting."

She flopped on the couch and curled up with a blanket and Ivy.

"Can't I just go out without having something happen just once?" she whined.

"You wouldn't be you if something didn't happen," Ranger joked.

Stephanie snorted. "I really wanted to drive my new car to the mall. Is that so much to ask?"

Ranger slid in next to her. "You'll get there, Babe."

Ivy stood up and wagged her tail before they heard the knock.

"That must be Lester," Ranger muttered. He got up to answer the door.

He nodded to Ranger as he entered the apartment. "Here ya go, Beautiful…a large chocolate shake and a large fry."

"Thank you, Lester. This is just what I needed."

She immediately dug into the fries before sucking the thick chocolatey goodness through the straw. Since she worked out extra that morning, and all the effort it took to suck the shake through the straw, Stephanie felt she burned enough calories for the day to earn the large fries. And…maybe some of Ella's chocolate cake later…or now…or both. Chocolate cake and French fried went together…didn't they?

"Either you're thinking about chocolate cake…or you want me bad," Ranger whispered.

The rising blush evened out her skin tone to match all the red marks from the thorns. "Damn ESP," she muttered.

"Okay," Lester breathed. "I'm outta here."

Ranger took a quick look at the time. "Me, too. I've got to finish those reports today. Can I get you anything before I leave? Other than chocolate cake?"

Stephanie shook her head. "No…just the chocolate cake, please. Oh…and can you send Val up? I want to let her know about the love shack."

"Babe."

By the time Valerie arrived, Stephanie had polished off the French fries and dug into the cake.

"Hey," Stephanie choked out with a mouthful of cake.

"How are you feeling?" Valerie inspected her wounds.

Stephanie shrugged. "Sore…but this cake is helping."

"Carlos said you wanted to talk to me. What's up?" Valerie sat beside her.

"Yeah…I wanted to know if you already had plans to go somewhere this weekend. You know….for your boinking festival."

Valerie groaned. "I would like to think of it as something more special than that! And it turns out that it's only going to be an overnighter. Hal has to work Friday night."

"I'll ask Carlos. I'm sure we can find someone else," Stephanie insisted as she reached for her phone.

"No…Zip had a last minute family thing. He's going out of town. He was having trouble finding a replacement, so Hal volunteered. It's okay. We're still going to go to New York, see Memphis on Broadway, go out to dinner, and…uh…you know…spend the night."

"Where are you staying?"

"The Milford Plaza. Since it's Hal's birthday, I told him it would be my treat. He got a little upset because he said the man is supposed to pay. We compromised. I'm paying for the theater tickets because that's a birthday gift, and he wants to take care of the rest. Isn't that sweet?" Valerie sighed.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from Hal," Stephanie agreed. "Anyway, I was going to see if you wanted to use the beach house this weekend. It's not really ours, but the owner said we could use it while he's gone. It's in Longport and totally gorgeous. Right on the beach and everything."

"Thanks anyway, but we've got it covered."

"Just make _sure_ Hal's got it covered," Stephanie warned. "You don't want to end up like this." Stephanie pointed to her belly.

"I started the pill over a month ago. I brought a bunch of spermocides and told Hal to get extra strength condoms. I think we're as prepared as we can be," Valerie told her.

"Just make sure he gets extra _length_, too," Stephanie muttered.

"Huh?"

"Um…never mind," Stephanie said.

She could see the wheels turning in Valerie's mind.

"You said I wouldn't be disappointed the other day. Now you said…extra length," she insisted. Then it looked like the light finally came on. "Have you seen Hal's…uh…um…_thing_?" Valerie's voice dropped to a whisper. Even though she used a replacement word for penis…she still couldn't say it out loud.

Stephanie bit her lower lip. "Um…sort of."

Valerie blanched.

"It was an accident!" Stephanie explained. "He was naked in the shower, and it was sort of just hanging there. And so were Ram and Woody. It's not like I did it on purpose, I just went in there to clean the locker room."

"Oh my God!" Valerie cried out.

"It was awful. I fell."

"If it was so awful…then why are you smiling?"

"I'm not smiling. My face is contorted from the horrible memory of it…that's all. Hal was so embarrassed that he fainted and hit his head."

"So that's how he got that bump! He said he hit his head on the faucet," Valerie said.

"Well…he might have. I don't know. I was tripping on the bucket trying to get out of there at the time. The whole situation was embarrassing. And what was he going to tell you? _Oh hey Val…Steph saw my junk today? What did you do?_ It's not like I _touched_ it or anything. I just…_looked_ at it."

"You are with Carlos, Stephanie. Why did you even look at another man's…uh…junk?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "'Cause I'm not dead, Val. I couldn't help myself. But I eventually did the right thing by getting embarrassed and running away."

The two sat in silence for the new few minutes. They looked at everything in the room but each other. Stephanie sipped on her chocolate shake, while Valerie picked at the rest of the cake.

"So…how big is it?" Valerie finally asked as she squirmed in her seat. "I mean…should I be worried?"

"Worried? Why? How big was Steve?"

Valerie stretched her thumb and index finger apart about three inches.

"Oh my God, Val! Please tell me that's the soft version!"

Valerie's shoulders slumped while she shook her head.

"No wonder you've been so uptight all these years!" Stephanie gasped.

Now Valerie gasped as her jaw dropped. "I am not uptight!"

"Val…my fetal son has a bigger penis than that. You've never really got it good," Stephanie continued.

Valerie started to cry. "Y-y-you're right. I was married to a _needle-dick_ and didn't know it. And…and now you're telling me Hal has a _horse dick_! What if it doesn't fit?"

"Val," Stephanie soothed as she hugged her. "It's gonna fit. Trust me. You gave birth to 2 babies. And…you don't really say that a guy has a horse dick. You say he's hung like a horse. Horse dick….sounds kinda weird. People will think you're into beastiality or something."

"Oh my God…I can't believe I'm going to have sex with Hal. Hal and his huge…uh…uh…." Valerie ranted.

"Say it, Val," Stephanie demanded. "Say PENIS for God's sake. Say it loud and say it proud!"

"PENIS!" Valerie screamed. "PENIS! PENIS PENIS!" She took a deep breath and slowly blew it out.

"Am I interrupting anything?"

Both of them screamed in surprise. Valerie hid her face in her hands and groaned in embarrassment. Stephanie covered her mouth and snorted.

"I…uh…left a file I need on my desk," Ranger told them with a smirk as he sauntered towards the office.

"Oh my God, Stephanie," Valerie whispered. "I yelled _penis_ in front of Carlos. I'll never be able to look at him again."

Ranger walked back through on his way out. "Ladies."

"I'm sure Carlos's heard the word _penis_ before. Besides, he's used to all kinds of shit coming out of my mouth. He'll just think it's hereditary or something."

"So he'll think being a slut is hereditary?" Valerie whined.

"Well…look at Grandma Mazur. It must skip a generation because Mom is a total prude. She can't even say penis. Shit…I don't even think she can _think_ the word."

"Telling me that we're going to wind up just like Grandma Mazur isn't making me feel any better, Stephanie!"

"A little scary…maybe. But would you rather end up like Mom? I mean…at least Grandma wants to have a little fun. Why waste your whole life always worrying about what other people think? Live a little, Val. That's what you've been missing."

"I guess you're right," Valerie sighed. "I'm new to this whole…_slut_ thing. You're going to have to help me."

"Well…tomorrow I'm taking you to the mall. We're going to Victoria's Secret and get you some proper slut wear. Something that's going to drive Hal crazy," Stephanie decided.

Valerie blushed. "You don't think that will scare him off…do you?"

Stephanie shook her head. "Hal is a very nice guy, but he's still a man. All men love sexy lingerie. Trust me."

"Will you feel up to going tomorrow? I hate to tell you this, but you look like hell."

"I'll be fine tomorrow. I'll call Lula. We were supposed to go today until she knocked me into the pricker bushes. I'll tell Carlos that you're coming with me."

Valerie smiled. "The girls are really excited about staying with you. That's all they've been talking about."

"I've got a fun time planned, Val. Don't worry about us."


	20. Chapter 20

Author's Note: I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season. The family visit was crazy, but it went well and it was what we needed. What I didn't mention was that we found that my Sheltie had an abdominal mass just on the same day I found out my family was coming. Thing deteriorated, and I put him to sleep on Friday. Needless to say, I didn't get any writing done. I also had to work on the Countdown for the yahoo groups. So, until I get caught back up, I'm going to only post one chapter a week. The last 5 days have been pretty bad, but I'm doing a little better today. I'm rereading some chapters to get my groove back. We're 2/3 the way through now. And I also want to thank those that nominated this story to make it the #1 story for 2010. I am truly honored and humbled. If I get back in the swing faster, I'll go back to posting twice a week. I just don't want to get too far behind as I'm still working on chapter 23. Thanks for understanding….Sue

**Chapter 20**

Hector and John stopped into Ranger's office when they returned. Hector gave him a rundown of the install. John seemed to be to have enjoyed himself.

"John did pretty good. The kid knows his stuff," Hector told him.

"Hector's like a wiz with electronics," John added. "He taught me a lot today."

"So what happened with that alarm? Bonita okay?" Hector asked.

Ranger nodded. "Yeah, she's upstairs taking it easy. She went with Lula to pick up some old guy, and Lula accidently pushed her into a hedge. The panic button was in her back pocket, and it went off when she fell. She got stuck in the hedge because of the thorns. A little scratched up, but she's okay."

"So what do I do now?" John wondered.

Ranger reached down and pulled up a backpack. "School work."

John groaned but accepted the bag.

"You want MIT…you have to earn it," Ranger reminded him. "You can use an open cubicle. Hector…set him up with a password so he can use the computer. Just standard access."

Ella popped in Ranger's office next. "I just wanted to tell you that I'm making Stephanie's favorite…Fettuccini Alfredo. Do you like that John? If not…I can make something else," she offered.

John looked back and forth between Ella and Ranger. "No, Mrs. Guzman, I like Fettuccini Alfredo. Thank you."

"And what else did you make her?" Ranger chided.

Ella gave him a dismissive wave. "Let her alone. She had a rough day today. I think a brownie sundae with Reese's peanut butter sauce is very appropriate."

John smiled and licked his lips. "I'm so glad Aunt Stephanie isn't a health food freak…like someone we know."

Ranger feigned shock while Ella giggled.

"Oh, she wore him down. No one gets between Stephanie and her food," Ella joked. "Dinner will be ready at 6."

"Thanks Ella," Ranger said. He nodded to John. "How about you work on those assignments for the next hour, then I'll take you down to the range and teach you how to shoot?"

John's eyes widened as he broke into a full grin. "That's a deal. Thanks Uncle Carlos."

"But I want you to finish them after dinner. Then you've got free time until lights out," Ranger insisted.

John nodded as he headed to Stephanie's cubicle. He waited until John left before he called Celia. Knowing she couldn't carry her personal cell while working, he left her a voice message. Then he called his father. So far…no problems. According to Hunter, the others remained in jail.

Ranger then called an old friend from the Latin Kings…Manuel. He and Manny had gotten into a lot of trouble before his parents sent him to live with Grandma Rosa. Manny also had turned his life around. He still did some counseling with trouble youths and had an ear to the streets. Manny hadn't heard much but said he would let him know. They chatted for a bit before he disconnected.

After dinner, Tank came up to 7. When Stephanie tried to excuse herself to the bedroom, Ranger grabbed her and escorted her back to the living room.

"Tank wants to talk to you, Babe," Ranger whispered into her ear.

"I can't, Carlos," she whined. "I'm too embarrassed. He must think I'm a big slut."

Ranger pulled her down on the couch with him. Tank eased himself into the oversized chair across from them.

"I've been trying to talk to you about what happened the other day," Tank began. "But you've been…busy."

Stephanie nodded but continued to look at her feet.

"I wanted to apologize to the both of you for bringing Celia up here without calling first," he told them. "Bombshell, I talked to Carlos, but I especially wanted to apologize to you. I don't want you to be afraid of me or hate me for disrespecting you like that."

Stephanie's head popped up as tears welled. "I-I don't hate you, Tank. It was just…embarrassing."

"You're like a little sister to me. I've felt like crap because you were so upset. And it was _all_ my fault. But I want you to know, I haven't said a thing to anyone. Not even Lula. It's nobody's business what happened," Tank explained.

Stephanie felt like a huge weight had been lifted. If Ranger hadn't forced her to face Tank, she probably would have avoided him forever. Knowing that their humiliating escapade hadn't been circulating around the building, it eased her mind. She went over to Tank to give him a hug.

"You are my family, Tank. I just thought you and Celia would lose respect for me. You know…because we were…um…" She trailed off, biting her lower lip as her face turned pink.

Tank threw his head back and howled. "Bombshell…that cat was out of the bag a long time ago." He rubbed her belly. "You 2 are consenting adults. What you do is your business…and yours alone. No one has the right to judge you."

"I've instructed everyone to call before they come up here, Babe," Ranger added.

Tank rose and stretched. "I'm glad we were able to talk this out, Bombshell. I gotta head down to 4. I'm going to kick your nephew's ass in Call of Duty. He beat Woody and Ram last night."

"Don't forget that he's half Manoso," Ranger reminded him. "Nobody beats a Manoso in Call of Duty."

Stephanie took Valerie and Lula to Quakerbridge mall the next day. Her body ached a bit from the fall, but the Neosporin ointment worked wonders on all her scratches. She was bound and determined to help Valerie find something suitable at Victoria's Secret for her evening with Hal.

Lula regaled them with her recap of the failed take down. "White Girl…I didn't even see where you went. All I saw was that old man's tea bags, and it gave me hysterectical blindness. In all my years as a ho…I ain't never seen balls that hung to no one's knee like that. He shoulda bought better drawers to keep his stuff in the house. He shoulda been arrested for the indecent exposure!"

Valerie frowned as she looked over at Stephanie. "Hysterectical?"

"Hysterical," Stephanie whispered back.

Valerie giggled as Lula continued to rant about the man's balls.

"So…you and Tank are going out with everyone on Saturday?" Stephanie asked, trying to change the subject. She began to think getting stuck in the hedge and missing the low ball show was a good thing.

"Yeah…too bad you and Ranger can't go. Lester's bringin' that bible beater. I can't wait to see what she's like," Lula replied.

"I hope she's not working today. I don't think she likes me that much. We'll just avoid the book store," Stephanie told them.

"What does Lester see in this girl? I haven't met her, but Lester seems to be more the fun and happy-go-lucky type. From what you and Bobby said, Xylia's….um…not," Valerie said.

"Lester can get any woman he wants," Stephanie admitted. "He wants to find a nice girl instead of the floozies he usually goes for. Maybe Xylia's just…um…"

"A virgin?" Lula finished for her.

"Yeah right," Stephanie snorted. "Like someone around our age is still a virgin. She might not sleep around, but if she's still a virgin…there is something _definitely_ wrong with her."

"There's nothing wrong about saving yourself for marriage, Stephanie," Valerie insisted. "I waited."

"Uh…yeah, Val, but you were 21. As sad as that was, Xylia's got to be around 30. People that are still virgins at 30 turn out to be people like Susan Boyle. Yeah she can sing…but look at her," Stephanie shot back.

Lula shuddered. "Damn…even her makeover didn't help. Maybe that's why she's all back up. When you don't get none, you become crabby and nutty. Just look at how cranky those nuns are. Shit…they named those people right…nun…as in NONE for you."

Valerie gasped. "You are talking about a holy vessel. How can you say that about nuns? They are married to God."

"Uh…okay, _Xylia_," Stephanie told her. "This coming from the person who's going to finally get laid Saturday. And who we're going to buy sexy underwear for today."

Valerie slumped in her seat as she turned fire-engine red.

"You and Hal finally gonna to do the nasty?" Lula teased her.

"She's turning in to a slut…like her sister," Stephanie joked. "Sluts have more fun, Val. Trust me."

Between Stephanie's and Lula's suggestions, Valerie finally found something that was sexy but sweet. She decided on a lacy pink, push-up bra with a matching lacy long. Well…more like an eye patch, but they both swore up and down that Hal would love it.

"Let's get outta here before we run into Xylia. I just want to get a few more things at Motherhood Maternity," Stephanie told them.

"Hello Stephanie."

Stephanie rolled her eyes before turning around. "Oh…hi Xylia. You remember Lula. And this is my sister, Valerie. This is Xylia…Lester's friend." She still couldn't bring herself to say girlfriend.

"I'm Lester's girlfriend," Xylia corrected her. "Too bad you won't be going out with all of us Saturday."

"Well, I'm babysitting Val's girls. She and Hal are going to New York. But Lula and Tank will be there," Stephanie replied.

Lula held up her new red teddy. "Are you comin' in here to get you some sexy underwear for Lester? I bet he'd like somethin' like this. I know my Tankie's gonna ravish my body when he sees me in this hot red number."

Xylia turned her nose up. "He who indulges in pleasures of the flesh will dance with the devil in hell."

The three women stared at Xylia with their jaws on the floor.

"Well, I hope the first song is _Disco Inferno_," Lula joked. "Because I guess Tank and me are gonna be indulgin' all night long." Lula began to dance and sing…_Burn Baby, Burn_.

Xylia harrumphed as she spun around and left.

"Is it blaspheme to yell out _'Oh God'_ when you come in hell?" Lula asked them.

"Is she for real?" Valerie was stunned.

"No…I think she's one of them Amish. I don't think they wear underwear like this. I mean…I think they wear like long johns or somethin'. You know...the kind that has a hole in the crotch, so they can pee," Lula added. "I bet she came here in a horse and buggy, too."

Stephanie shrugged. "I have no idea. But I guess there will be no _indulgence_ for Lester…that's for sure."

"Hey…maybe she's one of them Amish that is on that vacation thing they do. You know…Runinthespringa. That's where they leave the farm and get laid before going back to get hitched to their cousin or something," Lula insisted.

"That's Rumspringa, Lula. And they _don't_ marry their cousins…I think," Valerie turned to Stephanie and asked, "Are you going to say anything to him?"

"I don't know what to do," Stephanie sighed. "What am I going to say? I know you like this girl, Lester, but she must have escaped from the nut house? Or that she's Amish? I'm not going to say a word. If he asks me what I think, I'm going to tell him. But honestly…when Lester finds out that there might not be a possibility for sex, Xylia will be history." She also planned to do a little background check when she got home. Just in case Xylia did escape from some state hospital. Lord knows she attracted weirdoes.

Ranger had been proud of the effort John put forth this past week. He worked hard and hadn't complained once. He wanted to do something special for him and thought about taking him and his brothers to the beach house for the weekend. This weekend wouldn't work because Stephanie promised to babysit her sister's girls. Next weekend, he would have his parents bring down the boys, and he would take his whole family to the beach house for the weekend.

Woody and Ram asked Ranger if they could take John with them to see The Expendables. Then they wanted to go out for pizza. Ranger agreed. The rest of the crew had plans. Stephanie would be busy with the girls. He could finally have a quiet evening to himself. Maybe catch up on his reading. It felt weird to have absolutely nothing to do.

Lester had mixed emotions about his date with Xylia. He felt attracted to her in some way. He just couldn't explain it. But…something just felt off about her as well. He made his decision. If this date didn't go well, he would pull the plug. Better to cut his losses now instead of wait until he had gotten in too deep. If this date turned out better, and he at least got a little tongue action, he might change his mind.

Hal picked up Valerie and the girls to bring them back to the Rangeman building. She ran the girls to the 7th floor to leave them with Stephanie and Ranger. Then Valerie and Hal took off for New York.

Ranger brought Stephanie, Angie, and Mary Alice to the Old Barracks Museum. They took Stephanie's car because Mary Alice begged for a ride in the _Mustank_. When Ranger found out that Angie had to write a final paper on Trenton's history, he decided to take them to the museum. Not many people knew that Ranger was a total history buff. Especially when it came to the Revolutionary War.

He studied all the major battles in US history. One of the reasons the government called on him so often was his ability to plan. He extensively analyzed every battle plan, every win, and every failure. It helped him become the best. It helped him to build his security business.

Ranger led Angie by the hand as he explained every little detail. Stephanie and Mary Alice lagged behind.

"I thought Uncle Carlos was more fun than this," Mary Alice whined.

"Don't worry," Stephanie assured her. "I've got fun stuff planned for us later. But after this boring crap, Carlos is taking us to an early dinner. Ella is making brownies so we can have brownie sundaes."

"Can we go up on the roof so you can play us music? Like sing-a-longs?" Mary Alice asked hopefully.

"Uh huh. And after that, we'll have Carlos make us popcorn, and we can watch movies. Just tell Carlos that you had fun…otherwise, you'll hurt his feelings," Stephanie added.

"I will," Mary Alice promised. "I don't want to make Uncle Carlos cry."

Lester took his time driving to Xylia's. He assumed she would be waiting for him, and they would head straight to the restaurant. This time Xylia invited him inside. At first, he thought it was a good sign. But after looking around, the apartment creeped him out. Crosses adorned every wall. Statues of the Virgin Mary lined every shelf. She even had a Jesus head throw on her couch.

"Have a seat, Lester," Xylia instructed. "I have a surprise for you. I'll be right back."

Lester scanned the tiny living room again. A galley kitchen bordered one side, while the sliding glass doors to the little terrace lined the other. A huge bible sat on the coffee table in front on him. He knew in his heart that this wouldn't work. He could respect her religious beliefs, but he felt like he had entered Jonestown. He hoped she wasn't going to offer him some Kool-Aid.

A few seconds later, Xylia bustled into the room and handed him a white box with a silver bow. "Here…I saw this and immediately thought of you."

He reluctantly took the offered box. "Oh…wow. You didn't have to get me anything, Xylia."

"I know. But I really wanted to. Open it, silly."

Lester did what he was told. He had no idea what was in the box…but he sure as hell didn't expect this. It had to be hands-down, the ugliest Jesus head pendant he had ever seen. His face shone in yellow gold, hair rose gold, and the thorny crown glistened in white gold. The thing weighed a ton because it looked almost life size. Well…maybe not that big, but big enough that Mr. T would have called him a fool.

"So…what do you think? Here…let me help you put it on." Xylia took the hideous thing from his hands and fastened the gold rope around his neck.

Lester remembered his Army rucksacks weighing less. Of course, he chose a light weight, v-neck green sweater tonight….just perfect for showing off his new…._bling_.

When he still didn't answer, Xylia's face fell. She looked devastated.

"You don't like it," she whispered.

"Uh…no!" Lester stammered. "It's just that…I'm just…uh…speechless. This is…um…really…something. Jesus…."

"Yes. I wanted to share my love of Jesus with you. It will make it easier to accept Him as your Savior. It's 14 karat gold, too. I had been saving to make a trip to the Holy Land, but you are far more special to me. I hope you love it," Xylia gushed.

Lester's heart sank. She wiped out her savings to buy this ugly thing. Shit.

"And I had it blessed too," she added.

Okay, he thought, a _holy_ ugly thing. What should he do now? He told himself that he would give this one more chance. Everyone would be expecting them. It could be a good chance to get other people's opinions on Xylia. Stephanie only met her the one time, and she didn't seem to be too much of a fan.

"Thank you," Lester told her finally. What else could he say? He had never gotten a gift from a girl before. Well…not one that came in a box. Most had been a bit more…_oral_.

"Do you like it?" Her eyes begged for praise.

"Oh yeah. I mean…who wouldn't want to wear a life-sized, gold Jesus around their neck?" He forced a smile.

Xylia beamed. "I knew you'd like it! Are you ready to go?"

Lester nodded. Shit…it was going to be another long night.

As expected, Tank and Lula, Bobby and Tammy, and Joe and Annemarie had already arrived. He took a deep breath and slowly let it out. Time to face the music.

"God damn," Lula muttered as she spied the pendant.

Tank's eyes dropped to Lester's chest. "Jesus," he breathed.

"You ain't lyin'," Bobby added.

Joe attempted to hide his smile. Tammy and Annemarie exchanged glances. Lester closed his eyes and sighed.

"Hey guys…this is Xylia. That's Tank, Lula, you already met Bobby, his girlfriend Tammy, and you know Joe and Annemarie." Lester made the introductions.

Tank gestured to the two empty seats between him and Bobby.

Xylia took the seat next to Bobby. "How are you, Bobby."

"Yeah…this side of the table is for the sinners," Lula said.

Joe snorted, but quickly recovered. He remembered their last date.

"Nice necklace." Joe smirked.

"Thanks. Xylia just gave it to me," Lester told him, hoping to shut the conversation down.

"I think he would have liked what I got for Tank better," Lula goaded.

Xylia frowned. "Lester is a good man. I gave him the head of Jesus to protect him from the temptation of the devil."

The uncomfortable silence thankfully ended when the waitress asked to take their order. Lester shifted in his seat. A dull ache crept into his temples as he glanced at his watch. Yep…a real long night.

Stephanie had just taken the girls up to the roof to have a campfire sing-a-long. He asked Luis to put a gas fire pit up there so the girls could have a real fire. He only had the building a little more than a year when he met Stephanie. He rarely went up to the roof. While Stephanie initially used it as an escape, it turned into a peaceful haven for both of them.

Finally, the apartment was silent. After an hour of playing _horsie_ with Mary Alice, his back ached. Mary Alice rode him like a bucking bronco all over the apartment. When she wanted to 'ride' him in the hall, he drew the line. Not letting that get on camera! He found the heating pad under the sink in the master bathroom and tossed it in the microwave. He set the stereo to play classical music. He poured himself a glass of wine, removed the heating pad, and settled in the big oversized chair for some reading time. Ivy curled up at his feet.

Lester had enough. The headache worsened and the tightness in his stomach wouldn't go away. If he didn't get out of there soon, his eye balls might pop out of his head. He pulled Xylia aside and told her that he wasn't feeling well. He asked if she wouldn't mind if he just took her home. Xylia didn't miss a beat. She grabbed her purse, and they left.

Still trying to be a gentleman, he walked her up to her door.

"Come in for a second," Xylia insisted.

Lester shrugged and followed her. Now if she offered him sex, he wouldn't care about the headache. Xylia took a small bottle off the shelf. She shook the bottle at him, sprinkling him with a cool wetness.

"It's holy water," she explained. "I'm sure the devil is trying to work his way inside you being with all those sinners. That Lula woman plans to have sex with that Tank person. People of God don't indulge in pleasures of the flesh."

"Well, I don't think people wait 'til they're married anymore, Xylia. Marriages don't seem to last these days," Lester replied. He hoped she got the hint.

"I'm not talking about pre-marital sex, Lester. I mean NEVER. Sex is a tool of the devil. It's wrong. I am chaste and will stay that way."

The pounding in Lester's temples intensified. If his left eye popped out, it would hit that Virgin Mary statue right across from him. This was not going to work. What the hell had he been thinking? He guessed she was a virgin and knew she wouldn't jump right into bed with him. But he had not planned on leading a celibate life either.

"You better go, Lester. You're pale. You don't look well. Go home and go to bed. I'll call you tomorrow. Jesus will heal you." She gave him a peck on the cheek.

Ranger's quiet evening became interrupted by an insistent knocking on the front door. Lester. He didn't look too well.

"You all right?" Ranger demanded.

Lester shook his head. Ranger finally noticed the gaudy pendant.

"What the hell is that?"

Lester ran a hand through his spiky hair. "The head of Jesus…it's a gift from Xylia. She spent her life savings on it. Is Steph around? I really need to talk to her. I need her advice on how to break up with Xylia. I don't want to hurt her, but this is just not working out."

Ranger nodded. "I guess dinner didn't go well."

Lester smirked. "That's a fucking understatement. I could deal with someone being religious. But I can't be in a threesome, with no sex, with the Lord."

"Can I ask you something?"

Lester nodded for Ranger to continue.

"What made you even want to try with this girl? I thought you liked your love 'em and leave 'em relationships."

Lester shrugged as he dropped his eyes to his feet. "I wanted what you and Steph have," he replied softly.

Ranger squeezed his shoulder. "You can't look for something like that. It just finds you. Believe me, I didn't look for Stephanie. Shit…I didn't even want a relationship with anyone at that time. There was an instant attraction when I first met her at the diner. It wasn't just her looks. Right from the beginning, her smile touched my soul. And, I fell hard and fast. I tried to talk myself out of it, but it didn't do any good."

"I thought I had found the same thing. I don't hate her…hell…I don't even dislike her. She's just really…_weird_. I need Steph's help to let her down gently. I don't want to hurt her," Lester sighed.

Ranger tilted his head up towards the ceiling. "She's on the roof with the girls." He opened a cabinet in the kitchen and retrieved a bottle of Aleve. "Here."

Lester took the bottle and removed three pills. "Thanks. I'm probably going to need something stronger later on."

Lester's phone buzzed. He had been ignoring all the text messages from Tank and Bobby since they left. He didn't have the energy to deal with them right now.

Stephanie led the girls in _You've Got To Hide Your Love Away._ Angie shook her maracas to the beat while Mary Alice jingled along with her tambourine. When the trio noticed Lester, the song came to a jangling halt. Angie and Mary Alice crossed themselves when they saw the Jesus pendant. Stephanie's jaw almost hit her lap.

Mary Alice cupped a hand to her mouth and leaned over towards Stephanie. "Aunt Stephanie…that Lester guy must really love Jesus."

Lester cleared his throat. "Hey, girls. Sorry to interrupt. Beautiful…I was wondering if we can talk when you get a chance."

Taking in Lester's pale face with defeated expression, Stephanie took off her guitar. "We were just about finished here. Ella's making us brownies for sundaes. Then we are going to watch some movies."

She gestured to the girls to put away their instruments. "Why don't you take this back down to the apartment? You can play horsie with Uncle Carlos again while I talk to Lester for a little bit. Okay?"


	21. Chapter 21

**Chapter 21**

Lester held the heavy metal door open for the girls as they hurried down to the 7th floor. He jammed his hands into his pockets and shuffled over to Stephanie. He tipped his head towards the fire pit.

"When did you get that?"

Stephanie patted the cushion next to her. "Carlos had Luis get it. It's kind of nice. Carlos is working with Luis to really fix up this part of the roof. They're looking at gazebos with a swing and some other furniture. It's going to be like a little park up here."

Lester flopped onto the cushion and leaned against the bricks. He picked up the Jesus pendant. "I don't think I can do this anymore."

"Did she tell everyone they were going to hell?" Stephanie asked.

Lester's eyes widened. "Did Lula text you?"

Stephanie snorted and shook her head. "No…I don't have my phone up here. Um…we ran into her at the mall yesterday. Apparently, we're all going to be dancing with the devil or something. So…what happened?"

Lester told her about all his time with Xylia. "At first, I thought she was joking. Saving room for the Lord while dancing, the devil's in AC, the color red, and all this crap about sin. But damn…she's never going to have sex because it's a sin. I _need_ sex, Beautiful. What's the point of being in a relationship if you can't have sex?"

"Can I ask you something?" Stephanie asked, and Lester nodded for her to continue. "What do you see in Xylia? I mean…do you _really_ love this girl?"

Lester slumped down the wall as he hunched his shoulders. "I thought I did. What's weird is there are times that I really enjoyed being around her. Then the next minute…she starts spewing about sin and the devil. It's like she's bipolar or something. I just don't know."

"Are you in love with Xylia or in love with the _idea_ of being in a relationship with someone?"

Lester opened his mouth to answer but immediately snapped it shut. Stephanie hit the nail on the head. He wanted to be in a relationship so badly that his mind refused to see that they had nothing in common.

"That's it…isn't it?" Stephanie asked as she took one of his hands in hers.

Lester squeezed her hand as he nodded.

"Christ…what was I thinking?" he groaned.

"Don't say that too loud," Stephanie warned. "Jesus is listening." She pointed to his pendant.

"Beautiful…it was like a bad episode of Candid Camera. Someone…namely Lula…would say something that had a sexual undertone, and Xylia would start her sermon about going to hell. Tammy or Annemarie would change the subject, but Lula or Joe would stir it up again. By that time, my head was ready to explode. So, I told Xylia I wasn't feeling well and asked if it was okay to take her home. She squirted me with holy water because she thought the devil gave me a headache." He dropped his face into both hands and rubbed his temples.

"Have you checked her out? I mean…did you run a search on her or anything?"

He shook his head. "No. Why? Did you?"

"I didn't know her last name," Stephanie admitted. "I didn't want to say anything to you because I wasn't sure that she said it. But, I think Xylia called me a bitch when I met her with you at the book store. I get the impression that she doesn't like me at all. I think she thinks we're kind of together or something."

"Why didn't you say something?" Lester looked incredulous.

"Because I wasn't sure that's what she said," Stephanie sighed. "And I honestly didn't know if you were ready to listen."

"I have to break up with her…but I don't want to hurt her," Lester told her. "Help me, Beautiful. How do I do this?"

"Breaking up with someone is never easy, but the sooner the better. You'll only make it worse for her if you drag it out. And _be_ honest. Well…maybe not 100% honest. Don't tell her she's a chastity belt-wearing, bible beater," Stephanie suggested.

Lester raised his eyebrows.

"That's what Lula called her," she admitted. "Um…just tell her that you don't have anything in common, and it's just not working out. It's going to hurt, Lester. No matter what you say to her."

Lester sighed. "Shit…this would be easier if I hated her, but I don't. She's not a bad person…just uh…uh…chastity belt-wearing, bible beater. Then Lula accused her of being Amish. She started babbling about running in the spring or whatever and marrying her cousin."

Stephanie snorted. "I'm sorry it didn't work out with Xylia. I know you want someone in your life, but she is _soooo_ not for you. Tell her the truth. Make it quick…like ripping off a Band-aid. You'll be glad when you get it over with."

Lester rubbed his temples. The Aleve must have started to kick in as the pain began to ebb.

"How about you come downstairs and have a brownie sundae?" Stephanie offered. "They always make me feel better."

His phone buzzed again. Glancing at the screen, it read _17 Text Messages_. He figured he'd better get it over with and hit select.

_Message from Hell: Shit, Tank spilled his Devil's blood._

_Hey Lester…can you bring Xylia back? The devil is here and she looks like hell._

_No…you're never gonna get it. Never ever gonna get it._

_Hey Lester….Mr T called and he wants his Jesus head back Fool._

_Jesus Christ…Superstar…Do U think that U R what they say U R?_

Delete…delete…delete…delete….delete. He scrolled through the rest and deleted the messages without reading them. What a bunch of comedians!

"Thanks anyway, Beautiful," Lester sighed. "I think I'm just going to go sit up here for a little while. I need to think about what I'm going to say to Xylia tomorrow. You're right. I need to do this right away."

The fire door opened with a bang as Ranger poked his head outside. "Babe, if you don't get down here soon, I'm going to need a chiropractor."

Ranger slept on the couch, so Stephanie and the girls could have the bed. One night without Stephanie felt like an eternity. They hadn't been separated since he rescued her from the black market baby ring. It was the last time he had slept on the couch, too. Talk about the irony! He had to sacrifice sex so Hal and Val could get some. He hadn't realized he had fallen into a deep sleep until a gently tapping on his arm woke him.

Mary Alice stood at his side.

"Uncle Carlos? Are you asleep?"

He rolled onto his side and slid back. "Not anymore."

She hopped onto the cushion and leaned back against his chest. "I can't sleep. Can I have a cookie?"

Ranger chuckled. "Wouldn't Aunt Stephanie get you a cookie?"

Mary Alice shrugged. "She told me to wake you up if I wanted anything. So I did. Can I have a cookie?"

Oh, you are so going to get it, Babe, Ranger told himself with a smile. He slid his legs off the couch and stood, taking Mary Alice with him. "How about some milk with that cookie?"

"Chocolate milk, please!"

He deposited her on a bar stool while he prepared her snack. He placed a plate of chocolate chips and a glass of chocolate milk in front of her and hopped onto the stool beside her. Ivy poked her head into the living room. Satisfied that things were okay, she retreated back into the bedroom.

"Thanks, Uncle Carlos," she told him with a mouthful of cookie.

Ranger watched her enjoy her cookies and milk. He had a soft spot for Mary Alice. He imagined Stephanie to be exactly like this at her age. She looked like her and acted like her.

"Uncle Carlos?"

"Yeah?"

"How come my daddy don't love us no more?"

Pain stabbed at Ranger's heart. His recent fight with Julie still stung. He slowly began to realize that removing himself from Julie's life might not have been in her best interest after all. Mary Alice's father up and left and hadn't even tried to make contact with them. As far as Ranger was concerned, the man was a loser.

"It's hard for me to answer that because I don't know your father. I would think he loves you very much. He just has problems," Ranger explained diplomatically.

Mary Alice nodded. "Gramma Mazur says it's because he's a dick wad. But I still miss him."

Ranger brushed the messy curls off her forehead. "I'll bet your father misses you, too." He had no idea what to say. For all he knew, that piece of shit had no intention of ever seeing his kids again.

"I like Mr. Hal. My mommy don't cry a lot anymore. Mr. Hal makes her laugh," Mary Alice added. "My mommy really likes Mr. Hal."

"Mr. Hal is a nice guy," Ranger agreed.

"If Mr. Hal becomes my new daddy, am I allowed to still love my old daddy?"

"Did you wake Uncle Carlos up, Mary Alice?" Stephanie shuffled into the room with Ivy hot on her heels.

"You told me to!" Mary Alice insisted.

"I was just kidding," Stephanie replied as she helped herself to a cookie.

"I'll bet," he muttered.

Ranger exhaled as relief washed over him. Mary Alice had just gotten to the tougher questions. And they really started to hit home with his situation with Julie.

"Are you okay?" Stephanie asked.

Mary Alice nodded. "I just couldn't sleep 'cause I was missing my daddy. And I asked Uncle Carlos for cookies."

Before Stephanie could ask, Ranger poured her a glass of chocolate milk.

"Sometimes that ESP comes in handy," she mumbled before kissing his cheek.

"I'm going back to sleep," Ranger yawned. He kissed the top of Mary Alice's head.

"Thanks Uncle Carlos."

"Let's finish this up and head back to bed ourselves…okay?"

Lester smashed his alarm clock to turn off that annoying sound, but it wouldn't stop. He emerged from the covers to investigate only to realize it was his phone. He snatched the offending device off the nightstand and answered it.

"Yeah?" he grunted.

The guard at the reception desk in the lobby informed him that he had a visitor. Xylia! And she had chicken noodle soup…and a Jesus statue. Shit.

No time like the present to break her heart. "Send her up."

Lester jumped out of bed and pulled on sweatpants and a tee shirt. He opened the door before Xylia had a chance to knock.

"How are you feeling? I stayed up all night making soup for you. Chicken soup is the Lord's blood. It's very healing," she told him with a smile.

"Uh…thanks, Xylia," he replied and stepped back. "Come in."

"I'm not surprised that you got such a terrible headache last night. That Lulu person radiates evil. Did you know she was a prostitute?" She narrowed her eyes at his chest. "Where is Jesus?"

He led her to his couch and sat her down. "Uh…Xylia. We have to talk. I really appreciate that you spent so much money on that piece of shhhh…um…special jewelry, but I can't accept it. I…uh…" Lester sighed. Shit, this was harder than he expected.

"I really like you as a person, but I don't think we have anything in common. This isn't working out," he told her.

"But, you _said_ you understood my beliefs!" she insisted. "You _said_ that you were looking for a long term relationship."

"I _do_ understand your beliefs….they're just a little out there for me. I'm just going to rip you off like a Band-Aid, Xylia. I don't think we should see each other anymore. I had a long talk with Stephanie last night…"

Xylia stood up. "Stephanie! You always talk about Stephanie. It's Stephanie _this _and Stephanie _that_! She's like the 3rd person in our relationship. I can't and won't compete with a sinner who is probably carrying your babies!"

Lester recoiled. "Whoa whoa back up a second! Steph is just my friend. I am not the father of those babies. And speaking of a 3rd person…I'm tired of dating you and the Lord! I mean…Jesus, Xylia. It's really creepy."

Lester jumped up and retrieved the necklace. "Here. Look…I'm really sorry, but it's over. I didn't mean to hurt you, Xylia. I like you as a person, but it's like we are from different planets."

"You don't mean that, Lester!" she begged. "I love you. We can work this out. Please don't do this!"

Lester's stomach knotted and guilt squeezed his heart. This just sucked out loud. "I'm sorry, Xylia. I think you should go. Here…don't forget Jesus."

She looked down at the coffee table where he pointed to the statue and noticed his porn magazines. "Lester!" she gasped. "What are you doing with this filth? Take them and burn them. Please…come back me. Come back to Jesus!"

Lester rolled his eyes. "Since you weren't giving me any…I _needed_ those!"

He gently guided her to the door, but it didn't work. Xylia started bawling. He crumpled and pulled her into a hug.

"I didn't mean to hurt you. I'm so sorry. It's better that we break up now before we get too attached to each other. You'll find someone else. I'm sure there are plenty of men at your church that would be interested in you. I'm sure most of them couldn't get laid if they tried, so it wouldn't be a big deal," Lester told her as he led her back to the lobby.

"I love you, Lester," she whined.

"No you don't. You just _think_ you love me. You need someone that doesn't sin. I'm really a sinner. I love AC. I love sex. My friends are the devil's neighbors. I have red underwear. I'm allergic to holy water. This just isn't going to work. I'm really sorry."

He opened the front door and walked her to her car. It was a white Honda Element adorned with religious pictures, crosses, and I heart Jesus on the hood.

"I'm sorry, Xylia. Take care of yourself," he said before he hurried back to his apartment. He took the steps two at a time. He didn't slow down until he shut and locked his door behind him. Thank God he didn't have a damn thing to do that day. He felt like shit, but a huge weight had been lifted. And in some weird way, he was sad. Later in the week, he would go back to his old ways and find a one-night stand. Yeah, he was long overdue.

He didn't want to look, but guilt forced him to glance down to the street. He blew out a sigh of relief when didn't see the Jesus mobile. His headache roared back to life. After taking more Aleve, he climbed back into bed.

Stephanie slammed her hand several times on the alarm clock but couldn't get the stupid thing to stop. She felt the bed dip and a warm hand on the side of her face. The deep and husky voice got her attention.

"It's your sister, Babe. She sounds upset."

Stephanie's eyes flew open, and she bolted upright. "Huh?"

"Here," Ranger said. "Val's on the phone. She wouldn't talk to me."

Stephanie snatched the phone out of his hand as she crawled out of bed. Still unconscious, the girls didn't even stir.

"Val? What's wrong?" she whispered.

"I need to you come and pick us up," Valerie cried. "Oh my God, this is so embarrassing."

"What happened? Are you all right? Where's Hal?" Stephanie demanded.

Ranger raised an eyebrow, but Stephanie held him off by putting up a finger.

"I can't turn my head. I think I pulled a muscle in my neck. Hal can't get off the floor. He hurt his back. He laid down on the hard floor thinking it would help, but now he can't get up. And I can't help him!"

Stephanie frowned. "What happened? Did you get into an accident?"

Now Ranger jumped to his feet and hovered around Stephanie trying to listen to the other side of the conversation.

"Stephanie…it's been a _really_ long time…okay? For both of us. I…he….we…" Valerie trailed off.

The light bulb clicked on, and Stephanie snorted. "Oh…my…God. You guys have _sex_ sprains!"

"Sssshhhh," Valerie hissed. "Don't tell anyone. Please, Stephanie. You have to come here and pick us up. This is soooo embarrassing."

"Val," Stephanie told her softly, "I have to tell someone. I can't pick Hal off the floor by myself. And I hate driving in Manhattan. I'm gonna have to tell Carlos. And we're going to have to bring someone else along to drive Hal's truck."

"No! Please don't tell anyone. I'll call the front desk and ask for help. Please, Stephanie, just come here alone," Valerie begged.

"Well let's forget for a minute that Carlos is standing right next to me and can hear you yelling into the phone. So technically, you told him you guys have sex sprains…not me. We'll just tell Bobby or Tank. Val…I can't do this by myself," Stephanie explained. She refused to look at Ranger because she would really lose it.

"Okay, okay!" Valerie consented. "Please hurry. We're supposed to check out by 11. What am I going to tell the girls?"

"We'll be there as soon as we can," Stephanie reassured her. "Oh…just tell the girls you guys hurt yourself dancing."

"Dancing? Th-that might work," Val agreed with a sniffle.

"Yeah…tell 'em you were doing the horizontal mambo."

Val gasped. "That's so not funny, Stephanie Michelle Plum…."

She disconnected the phone and burst out laughing.

"Do I want to know what they were doing?" Ranger groaned. "You Plum women are murder on Rangeman personnel, Babe."

Stephanie finally got herself under control. "She didn't go into details…thank God…but I'll just assume they were a little too _enthusiastic_ after a long dry spell. Val can't turn her head, and she said Hal laid on the floor to help his back and can't get up."

Ranger checked the time. 8:45 am. He called Bobby and explained the situation.

"Where are they staying?" Bobby asked. He couldn't get the smile off his face.

"The Milford Plaza."

"I'll be down in the garage in 15 minutes. I'm going to call Val to tell her what to do until we get there," Bobby explained and disconnected.

"I'll call Ella and ask if she can stay with the girls," Stephanie decided. "I don't think it would be appropriate to take them with us. And…it will give Val more time to think up a better lie to tell her kids why she is hurt."

"See…," Ranger began as he pulled her close. "This is just another reason to stay in shape. I want you able to keep up with me."

"But Hal is in shape. How do you explain that?"

Ranger closed his eyes and winced. "Okay…never mind. I don't want to think about your blood line, Babe. Your grandmother scares me at times."

"Wouldn't you want me to still be a sex fiend when I'm her age? Or would you rather I be a prude like my mother? Don't forget…you'll get old, too. I hope you don't turn out like that skip Lula and I tried to pick up. I think it would break my heart to see you with low hangers."

Ranger grimaced and shook his head. "Okay…TMI, Babe. This has already turned out to be a strange morning, and the rest of the day looks to be just as bad. Let's get ready, so we can pick up the acrobats."


	22. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

Bobby instructed Valerie to wet a towel and warm it up in the microwave to use like a heating pad. He also told them to take either Advil or Aleve. He would bring muscle relaxers along with him. She didn't have what Bobby suggested in her purse, but the concierge brought a bottle of Advil to the room.

By the time Stephanie, Ranger, and Bobby arrived, Valerie had helped Hal get dressed and into a sitting position on the bed. Despite the pain in her neck, last night had been amazing. She couldn't believe how aggressive she had been. It had been a long time since Steven put any effort into their love making. Well…she _thought_ they were making love. They just had sex. Last night was the first time she really made love. And now she was being punished for having sex outside marriage.

The muscle relaxers had kicked in, so Hal and Valerie were able to move without looking like robots. Bobby helped Hal to his place while Stephanie gathered the girls and their things. She drove them back to the apartment.

"Did you and Mr. Hal win, Mommy?" Mary Alice asked.

Valerie frowned. "Win what, honey?"

"The dance contest. Aunt Stephanie said you did the horrible mambo. Even though you got hurt…did you win?"

Valerie glared at Stephanie who just shrugged.

"I didn't say that…_exactly_. Be thankful that's what she heard," Stephanie told her.

The news of Lester's break up with Xylia and the 'horrible' mambo had circulated throughout the Haywood office. With the muscle relaxers, hot compresses, and rest, Hal improved but couldn't handle field work yet. Ranger assigned him to monitor duty for the next few days.

Stephanie poured coffee for her and Valerie. Stephanie told her to stay home and take it easy, but Valerie insisted on coming to work. She never did learn to play hooky.

In a bold move, Hal shuffled off the elevator, right over to Valerie, and kissed her on lips in front of everyone. "I've got monitor duty, so we'll be able to have lunch together today."

"I made turkey on whole wheat for us," Valerie responded.

Stephanie just shook her head as she dropped off Valerie's coffee before heading to the conference room. Ram, Woody, Bobby, and Tank sat around the table trading jokes at Lester's expense.

"Would you guys do me a favor?" she asked.

Ram shrugged. "Sure Bomber…what do you need?"

"Give Lester a break today. Okay?"

"Oh yeah…right," Ram snickered. The men almost fell on the floor from laughing.

"Hey…if something happened between Carlos and me, the last thing I would want is someone rubbing my face in it," Stephanie continued. "Please? Just do this for me?"

"We wouldn't do something like that to you, Steph," Bobby insisted. "This is Lester we're talking about."

Stephanie sighed. "I know, but I'm asking you guys to do this for me. Please?" She stuck out her bottom lip for good measure.

After several groans, they agreed.

Lester wandered in a few minutes later. Stephanie shot all of them a warning glance as a reminder.

"Morning, Les," Stephanie greeted. "How are you doing today?"

She didn't really have to ask. He looked horrible. The bags and dark circles under his eyes revealed he didn't sleep well. His normally positive and confident demeanor had been replaced with melancholy and sorrow.

Lester shrugged as he sipped his coffee. "I'll be all right." He looked around as he waited for the pounding he had been dreading all night.

"Sorry, man," Bobby told him. "I know you liked this girl, but she wasn't your type."

Lester scanned their faces as he braced himself for a huge ribbing. None came. "Okay…what's going on? Why aren't you ripping me a new asshole?"

"Because Bomber won't let us," Ram snickered.

Lester gave her a lop-sided grin. "Thanks, Beautiful. I don't care about me. I feel bad for Xylia. She was really upset. I didn't want to hurt her, but I did."

"She'll get over it," Stephanie assured him as she placed a hand on his arm. "Besides…she's got Jesus."

The Merry Men howled with laughter as Ranger and John entered the conference room. Lester pursed his lips and slowly shook his head.

"You just had to go there, Beautiful," he muttered.

"I thought you said no bagging on Santos," Ram snickered.

Stephanie shrugged. "I asked _you guys_ not to say anything. I didn't include myself."

Ranger kissed the top of Stephanie's head before taking his seat. John slid into the chair next to Woody.

"Okay, I've got Hal on monitors for the next few days, so I'm going to have John ride with Cal and Hector. We don't have any new installs this week, but you can do the quarterly site inspections," Ranger began.

The rest of the meeting went by quickly as they didn't have anything new. Ranger and Tank had a few site visits, and Stephanie only had one complex search to finish. She decided to get that out of the way before making her stop at the Bond's Office. She called Connie and Lula and made a date for lunch at Pino's.

Stephanie picked the girls up in her Mustang sporting her _BOMBSHELL AND THE GRENADES_ shirt. Connie needed to drop off paperwork at the police station, so they headed their first. Connie insisted they wait in the car because she would be out in a second. While the car idled at the curb, Morelli sauntered over to the driver's side.

"Now this is more like what I expected you to be driving, Cupcake."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Carlos got this for me as an engagement present. I only started driving it this past week."

"That's why I told her not to get that death mobile," Lula added. "I can't believe that I let you drive me around in that piece of shit with a stiff in the trunk."

"He was more than stiff," Morelli joked.

"Can we not talk about this? It's going to get worse when the DNA results come back. And because it was _my_ car…I can already tell you that it was Jimmy Hoffa in that trunk. I wouldn't be so lucky that it was Joe Blow who nobody cares about. Besides…we're going to eat lunch now. I don't want to think about dead bodies," Stephanie rambled.

"Well…this is a much nicer and _safer_ car for you. I think we all hated you driving that thing," Morelli admitted.

"We're going to Pino's…do you want to join us?" Stephanie offered.

Morelli glanced at his watch. "Yeah. Thanks, Cupcake. I only have a couple of reports to finish so far today. One of them being your case."

Stephanie opened the door and leaned the seat forward so Morelli could slide into the back seat. Connie emerged a few minutes later, and Stephanie drove them to Pino's.

Lester and Bobby had turned the corner on their way back to Rangeman when Lester's phone rang.

"Santos."

"Is this Lester Santos?" a woman asked.

"Yeah…who's this?"

"My name is Andrea. I'm Xylia's supervisor. She has you listed as her emergency contact. Have you heard from her today? She's supposed to be here, she's never late." She sounded concerned.

Lester frowned. "Uh…we broke up. I haven't talked to her. Um…you might want to take me off her list." Shit. He didn't need this.

"Oh…maybe that's why…." Andrea trailed off. "Never mind…she's here now. I'm sorry to bother you, Mr. Santos." The phone smacked onto the based as she hung up.

"Who was that?" Bobby asked as he pulled into the underground garage.

"Xylia's boss called me because she listed me as her emergency contact. She didn't show up for work and was worried. Shit, I was starting to get worried there myself, but Xylia just got there," Lester explained. He took a deep breath and blew it out. He still felt guilty for breaking her heart. If she did something drastic because of him, that would have made it worse.

"Are you all right?"

Lester nodded. "Yeah. I just feel bad for her. I mean…you know how women get when they can't have anymore Lester lovin'."

Bobby rolled his eyes as he shook his head. "Santos…I was there Saturday night, remember? Was she off her medication or something? There's a difference between someone with a strong faith in her religion and someone that talks to Jesus like he was sitting next to her. Look…I don't think she's a bad person or anything. I just don't think she's wrapped too tight."

They hopped out of the SUV and walked towards the staircase. "I thought it was a little weird, but I tried to get to know her. Shit…at first I thought she was kidding around. Steph didn't like her. She said that she thought Xylia called her a bitch. Then…Xylia went on and on that I always talked about Stephanie. I didn't realize I did that."

"I kind of got that impression that she didn't like Stephanie when I first met her. You mentioned her name, and Xylia was not a happy camper," Bobby told him.

Lester ran a hand through his hair. "Why didn't anyone say something to me?"

"You wouldn't have listened." Bobby echoed the same thing that Stephanie said.

"Well…I'm hittin' the bars this weekend and will be screwin' anything and everything. I think I'm starting to go through withdrawls," Lester insisted.

"Steph's right about you," Bobby sighed. "You aren't right."

At Pino's, the conversation turned to the wedding. Stephanie and Ranger only told their parents and a handful of friends. She felt now would be as good a time as any to share the news.

"Carlos and I set the date," she exclaimed. "We're getting married on August 12th. His birthday."

The high-pitched, Bigfoot mating call that escaped from Lula's mouth frightened a passing waitress. The tray crashed to the floor causing another waitress to drop hers. "God damn, White Girl!"

"Jesus Christ!" Morelli muttered as he rubbed his ears. "What the hell was that?"

"I can't wait to see my Tankie in a tux. Am I gonna be a bride's maid? 'Cause you know I'll look fine!" Lula rattled on.

Stephanie couldn't help but giggle. Raoul and Valerie would be best man and matron of honor. They hadn't planned anything beyond that, but Stephanie couldn't imagine that Ranger wouldn't want Tank to be a part of their wedding party.

"Of course. We haven't made any plans yet, but it's going to be very simple. Don't forget, this is a second wedding for both of us. And…we're already got a jump on the family planning part."

"Congratulations, Cupcake," Morelli told her as he squeezed her hand. "I think you 2 are going to be very happy together."

"So what kind of wedding are you going to have?" Connie asked.

Stephanie shrugged. "It's going to be simple. We'll probably get a restaurant or hall or something and have the ceremony there. That's as far as we've gotten."

They continued chatting over lunch about the wedding, the #2 mobile, the FBI Academy, her interesting Rangeman work shirts, and the twins. Stephanie enjoyed herself and hated to see it come to an end. Things appeared to be on the right track. Not only did her life seem to be returning to normal, but she had more control. Ranger listened to what she had to say. He treated her like an equal. He respected her right to make decisions on her own. Her friends rallied behind her, and she finally started to feel accepted for whom she was.

Morelli grabbed the check and headed to the counter to pay the bill. Stephanie, Connie, and Lula meandered to the parking lot.

"Holy shit!" Lula exclaimed.

Stephanie and Connie looked in the direction of where Lula had pointed. Someone vandalized Stephanie's Mustang. The word _BITCH_ had been spray painted in red on the hood, and several long gouges ran along the sides. Connie ran back inside to get Morelli.

Stephanie lost it. The flood gates opened and the tears poured down her cheeks. She had been so afraid to drive the Mustang because something might happen to it. The second she got over that fear…BAM! Okay, so it didn't blow up but still. Her beautiful Mustang, her engagement present from Ranger, had been trashed.

"Who would do something like this?" Connie mused as she returned with Morelli.

Joe called for a black and white to take the report. "Eddie's on his way, Cupcake."

He draped his arm over her shoulders and wiped the tears from her face with his free hand. "Do you want me to call Ranger?"

Stephanie sniffled. "No. I'll call him." She fished around in her bag for her phone.

"Can you think of anyone you might have pissed off lately?" Morelli asked, now in full cop mode.

Stephanie shrugged. "With me, Joe, it could be anybody."

"What about that chastity belt wearing, bible beater?" Lula offered. "Lester kicked her Amish ass to the curb. Maybe she thought it was all your fault."

Morelli raised his eyebrows. "Santos finally pull his head out?"

Stephanie nodded. "She's a little nutty, but I don't think she would do this. I mean…she doesn't really know me. She doesn't know where I live, or what I drive."

Morelli shifted nervously. "You never know, Cupcake."

"She _hates_ the color red. She would never touch evil paint," Stephanie pointed out.

"Annemarie told me about some things that Xylia said. She really seemed to be jealous of you. And…" Morelli trailed off and looked away.

"And?" Stephanie demanded.

"In addition to her _'You're all going to Hell'_ speech, she seemed to have a problem with you being pregnant…and not married."

"She's just fucked up, White Girl. She called me the Whore of Babylon. Dumb-ass bitch. I ain't never been to Babylon. I worked right here in Trenton the whole time," Lula huffed.

Stephanie sighed and made the call to Ranger.

"Yo!"

She opened her mouth to speak but began to cry. All she could think about was the beautiful car he had given her that was ruined.

"Babe? What's wrong?"

"S-someone hurt my car," she sobbed.

Morelli took the phone as he pulled her close. "It's Morelli. We're at Pino's. Someone vandalized her car. Eddie's on his way to make a report."

"Be there in 10," Ranger told him and disconnected.

"Ranger's on his way," Morelli said as he handed back her phone.

"Hey!" Connie exclaimed as she snapped her fingers. "What about the girl with the weird lips and tight clothes?"

"Camel Toe?" Stephanie frowned.

Lula's eyes widened. "That's right! We got that bitch good. Teach her to call me Fudgy the Fucking Whale! Maybe she did this."

"Who's Camel Toe?" Joe interjected.

"I also heard that Joyce Barnhardt was back in town," Connie added.

"We can forget that masturbatin' bitch whose shoes I took…'cause she's dead, but what about that other psycho FBI agent? Is she still locked up in the looney bin?" Lula wondered.

"Masturbating bitch?" Joe asked.

"Wow, Steph," Connie sighed, "you really have a lot of people that don't like you."

"But what did I do to make everyone hate me?" Stephanie whined, getting closer to tears again.

Joe hugged her again. "Don't worry about it, Cupcake. It's just like high school again. They were just jealous of you."

The sound of a high performance engine made them turn. The black Porsche glided smoothly into the lot and pulled into the open space beside them. A Trenton police car followed closely behind. Ranger exited the Turbo and stalked towards them.

A twinge of jealousy sparked deep in his gut seeing Stephanie in Morelli's arms. Ranger finally had come to terms with Morelli not being any competition. He couldn't help how he felt. When it came to his Stephanie, his feelings weren't always rational. He looked past them and surveyed the damage to the car. A new paint job would take care of it. He just hated that Stephanie would probably blame herself again.

"I knew something would happen as soon as I drove that car!" Stephanie insisted as she moved from Morelli's arms and into his. "It was safer in the garage."

"Like I've told you before, it's just a car. We can fix and replace cars. I can't replace you," Ranger soothed.

"We were trying to come up with a list of people that had something against, Steph," Morelli explained.

"Yeah…and it's enough to field a football team," Stephanie groaned.

Morelli glanced down at his notepad. "So far the potential suspects are…the Amish girl, Camel Toe, Joyce Barnhardt, and but can scratch off the Masturbating Bitch because she's dead. Did I miss anyone?"

"I think it's that Amish girl that Lester dumped," Lula decided. "I don't think Camel Toe has the guts pull something like that. That bitch knows we would fuck her up again."

Eddie took pictures and dusted for prints. Someone left a hand print on the hood. Morelli outlined the time frame of when they arrived and when they returned to the parking lot. Unfortunately, no one had seen a thing.

"I can catch a ride back with Eddie, Cupcake. Thanks for inviting me to lunch," Morelli told her before giving her a quick peck on the cheek. He shook Ranger's hand then left with Eddie.

Lester and Bobby showed up after Ranger sent them a text. Ranger didn't know if Stephanie would be too upset to drive the Mustang home or not. He didn't want to take a chance.

"What happened?" Bobby asked as he and Lester looked over the car.

"I think it was your Amish ex that did this. I told all y'all that she was on the Rum & Jerry Springer vacation thing," Lula told him. "I'm glad you got rid of that Jesus freak. She did nothin' but call me and White Girl names."

Lester frowned. Yeah, Xylia was definitely crazy, but he just couldn't picture her doing something like this. Xylia took the saying…_What Would Jesus Do?_...to a whole other level. A religious fanatic? Yes. A vindictive and destructive bitch? No. Well, at least he didn't believe it.

"I don't like her," Stephanie interjected, "but I just don't think she did this. I don't know why I feel this way, but I just do."

"Not only do I think she didn't do this, but Xylia would never touch anything red," Lester explained. "She doesn't even have anything red in her house. She's crazy but not mean."

Ranger took Stephanie's keys and handed them to Lester. "Drive her car home. Brown, take Connie and Lula back to the Bond's Office.

"I'll call you later," Stephanie told the girls as Ranger guided her to the Turbo.

On the short drive back to Haywood, Ranger threaded his fingers through hers. "All it needs is a new paint job, Babe. I'll call Jose when we get back. He can recommend someone. It will look as good as new."

Stephanie shrugged and looked out the window. "It doesn't really matter because I'm not driving that car again. Who knows what will happen to it next?"

"Please don't say that," Ranger begged. "I thought you loved that car."

She squeezed his hand. "I _do_ love that car, Carlos, that's why I don't want anything else to happen to it. I love that car more than you know."

"We'll find out who did this…"

Stephanie cut him off. "No…we won't. There is like a 10 page list of people that hate me. Even if we catch _this_ person…there's a long line waiting to take her place."

"Do you trust me?"

Her head snapped towards him. "Of course I do!" she answered indignantly. "You know I do!"

"Then you need to believe me when I tell you that we'll catch whoever did this," Ranger told him sternly. "Don't let anyone prevent you from living your life. There are times we need to be cautious, but you can't give in to people like this."

Stephanie slumped in her seat but nodded.

"I don't think this person wanted to physically hurt you," Ranger explained. "I think it's a she, and she is jealous of you."

"Do you think it's Lester's girlfriend?"

"I don't know. We'll do an investigation of our own. We'll check her out and Miss Toe. This sounds like something she would do. Use the Escape until I can get the Mustang repainted."

"You know what really sucks?"

Ranger shook his head.

"I was having such a good day. I finally felt like my life was exactly like I always wanted it to be. And someone had to go and shit all over it. Like someone who wants to take away what I have. I just don't understand why people do stuff like that," she sighed.

"There will always be people like that, Babe. Believe me…there are people that want to see Rangeman fail. The security business can be very lucrative. With the down fall of Blackwater, there are a lot of government contracts to be had. Only the best and most connected firms will get them. I'm not just talking about overseas jobs. There are plenty right here in the US. People will be coming after me and Rangeman all the time. No one can touch us because we're the best. You learn to expect it and learn how to deal with it."

Stephanie digested what Ranger shared with her. Of course people would want Ranger's contracts. How naive for her to believe otherwise. She had to toughen up to show Ranger she could handle his world. Although, she wasn't quite as sure that Ranger could handle hers.

"I'm going to check out every person I think might have done this," Stephanie told him firmly. "Then I'm going to kick her ass."

Ranger barked out laughing. He leaned over and kissed her cheek. "Now that's the girl I fell in love with."


	23. Chapter 23

**Chapter 23**

Stephanie immediately grabbed her guitar and headed for the roof. Music always centered her. She had forgotten that for a while. No more. Too much had happened to her in the last year. Some of it might have been avoided if she had been stronger. Since Ranger admitted that he needed her, everything had changed. To be needed by Ranger brought their relationship to another level. Not only did Ranger need her, but the twins would need her, too.

Seeing her car trashed really hurt. Not only did it feel like a personal attack on her, but it also disrespected Ranger. He spent a lot of money and put a lot of effort into getting her the perfect Mustang. Pregnancy hormones thrown in the mix made for one big hot mess. It didn't take long for Stephanie to get into her own zone as the music took her there.

Ranger made a call to his contract worker who also did security at the Hilton in New Brunswick. As he suspected, Miss Toe had been at the front desk all day. One down. God knows how many more to go, Ranger told himself.

A knock at the door interrupted his thoughts. Lester lurked in the opening. Ranger cocked his head towards the empty chair in front of his desk.

"It's probably nothing, but I thought I should mention it," Lester said as he took his seat.

"I really don't think she did it, but I got a strange call today from Xylia's boss," Lester began.

"Explain."

"Her boss called me to see if I had heard from Xylia. She didn't show up for work and didn't call. She was worried." Lester ran a hand through his hair. "Hell…I was worried there for a second, but Xylia showed up while I was on the phone."

"Do you think she has something against Stephanie?" Ranger asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Xylia thought the twins were mine. She's pretty religious and having children out of wedlock is like some big _mortal_ sin. Shit…_having sex_ is wrong, too. But honestly…I can't see her doing something vicious like that. I just wanted to mention it." Lester sighed.

"Why did she think the twins were yours?" Ranger frowned.

Lester shrugged. "I don't know. She asked me, and I told her no. Maybe because she saw how comfortable we are around each other. Who knows? It's just kind of weird that I break up with her, and something happens to Steph's car. I've never told her what kind of car Steph had. I just thought I should say something."

Ranger nodded as Tank entered the room.

"Sorry," he interrupted, "but I couldn't help overhear. Xylia is a crackpot and definitely worth checking out. Sorry, Lester. She sounded like someone off her meds the other night."

"Give me all of her information, and I'll run a back ground check on her," Ranger told Lester.

"Hey…she seemed _normal_ at first," Lester insisted. "She got _weirder_ and _weirder_ with each date. I didn't know she was a nun in training."

"I don't judge people on their past or who or what they are," Tank explained. "But with Xylia…there is something broken upstairs. It wouldn't surprise me if she blames Bombshell for you breaking up with her."

"She was a little upset when I mentioned Stephanie's name," Lester admitted. "Like I said, I don't think she did it."

"Thanks," Ranger told him.

He dismissed them both with a slight nod of his head. He started to believe that Stephanie probably had more enemies than he did. She really didn't do much to attract them either.

Stephanie's phone rang as she finished putting away her guitar. "Hello?"

"Hey, Steph. It's Mike Baker. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing okay. How are you and Tara?"

"We're both good. I know you're probably busy…what with driving Jimmy Hoffa around and all…but are you available this Saturday?" he asked.

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Everyone's got to be a comedian, so why should you be any different," she sighed.

Mike laughed. "Come on, Steph. Only shit like that happens to you. Remember that guy that wanted you to autograph his ass?"

She had forgotten all about that. Some drunken guy begged for her autograph. When she finally agreed, he yanked his pants down and bent over so she could sign his cheek. He kept rambling on that he planned to turn her signature into a tattoo.

"I wish you didn't remind me," she groaned. "So…what's up?"

"Frankie's band is playing at Gatsby's. He wants us to sit in for a set. You up for it?" Mike asked.

Now this sounded interesting. She played for Ranger, and he saw the DVDs that Mike made for them. But…Ranger hadn't seen her with the band live. "Would we have a chance to rehearse?"

"I'll ask Frankie, but I'm sure we could. We can also practice that day. My boss would let us use the place to rehearse before we open. Come on, Steph…it will be a blast," Mike begged.

She bit her lower lip. "Yeah…I'm in. I really do want to rehearse though."

"Great!" Mike exclaimed. "I'll call Frankie and see what we can arrange. It will be like old times."

"I'm looking forward to it," she replied.

They wrapped up their conversation, and she hung-up. She had an idea for a song that had been rolling around in her head for a while. Maybe they could put it together in time and play it on Saturday. At least now she had something to take her mind off her trashed car.

At first, she briefly thought about turning Mike down. Then it dawned on her. Her love of music always gave her confidence and strength. The past few months had turned her life upside down and really made her feel broken. This opportunity would renew her belief in herself. Being on stage and performing made her powerful. She needed to be stronger. Especially after hearing what Ranger told her today about other firms wanting to take Rangeman's contracts. She wanted Ranger to be able to depend on her.

Mike arranged three rehearsals during the week. They easily ran through a few old favorites. It felt like slipping on a comfortable pair of jeans. Everything just seemed to fit. Stephanie played them the song she wrote. {Author's Note: Just like I mentioned that I stole Evanescence's Good Enough in How Things Change, I am stealing Unbroken by Jessica Sierra. I liked it, and it fit. Again…I will always give credit for my thievery.}

_I'm wrapped up in your mercy  
I'm hanging on your thread  
Baby, missing you just hurts me  
I'm messed up in my head  
And I, I want to be_

Unbroken  
Unshattered  
Just maybe put the pieces of my heart back together  
I'm wide open  
Don't know where I'm going  
I'd give anything and everything just to be unbroken  
Unbroken

I want to walk across your memory  
Like water underneath the bridge  
Don't want to want what you can't give me  
I'm falling off the edge  
And I, I want to fly

Unbroken  
Unshattered  
Just maybe put the pieces of my heart back together  
I'm wide open  
Don't know where I'm going  
I'd give anything and everything just to be unbroken

Erase these dreams inside me  
Sleep where they can't find me  
Leave this life behind me  
And I, I want to be

Unbroken  
Unshattered  
Just maybe put the pieces of my heart back together  
I'm wide open  
Don't know where I'm going  
I'd give anything and everything just to be unbroken  
Unbroken 

__

"That rocks, Steph," Frankie exclaimed. "Show me the chords."

Stephanie played the song a few more times until Frankie and the others picked it up. After a few more times, the song sounded solid.

"Do you think it's ready?" Stephanie wondered aloud.

Mike nodded. "Absolutely. The place opens at 4 on Saturday. We can do one more rehearsal around 1 if you want."

"I'd feel more comfortable with that…if it's okay with you guys," Stephanie added.

"We'll see you at 1," Frankie agreed.

Stephanie couldn't wait until Saturday. The last time she sang a few songs with Frankie's band, Ranger had just gotten out of the hospital after his accident. She left North Carolina right after their huge fight when Ranger found out from Jeanne Ellen that she was pregnant. She played for him all the time but not like this.

Stephanie invited everyone…Tank, Lula, Val, Hal, Lester, Ram, Woody, Connie, and Joe. She told Joe to bring Annemarie. More prepared and confident, she looked forward to performing for the people that meant the most to her.

Now to deal with her new problem. She needed to find something to wear. None of her old clothes fit. She wanted to look good on stage and find something to hide her ever-growing belly. Nothing in their closet would work no matter how hard she stared at all the neatly hung garments. She knew she could find something, but the idea of going to Quakerbridge Mall didn't exactly thrill her. Bridgewater Commons, and Franklin Mills and King of Prussia in Pennsylvania were too much of a hike. She flopped onto the leather covered bench and sighed.

"Deep thoughts, Babe?"

Stephanie jumped. She didn't hear Ranger behind her. Like that was a surprise.

"Yeah," she admitted.

He scooped her into his arms and slid underneath her. "Anything I can help you with?"

His gentle and insistent kisses began to distract her. "This is a start…"

"I can't wait to see you perform," he told her in his husky voice. "I missed it that last time."

"I need to go shopping," she finally told him. "But I'm afraid to go to Quakerbridge. I _so _don't want to run into Xylia."

Ranger's chest hitched. "Why? Are you afraid she's going to douse you with holy water?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "No. It would be a little weird. I mean…I kinda feel bad for her. If she says something annoying…I can't be held responsible for what comes outta my mouth. It's like kicking a horse when it's down."

"So you would actually give up one of your favorite places to avoid this person?" Ranger asked with an eyebrow raised.

Stephanie sighed. "Well…no. Not when you put it that way. And not forever. This break up is still…_fresh_."

"How about I take you shopping? I'm sure she won't start anything with me there," Ranger offered.

Stephanie snorted. "I _doubt_ that. You're just as much of a sinner as the rest of us, Carlos."

"I hope so," he joked. He stood up and placed her on her feet. "Come on, Babe. Let's go shopping."

Ranger also had an ulterior motive for taking Stephanie to Quakerbridge. His search on Xylia turned up zilch. Even those without a criminal history had basic information out there. He didn't want to force a confrontation to make Stephanie uncomfortable. But maybe if Xylia saw them together, she would realize that there was nothing between Lester and Stephanie. Also, he could buy a book and get Xylia's finger prints. Running her prints would only work if they had been on file. Worth a try.

Since Stephanie had changed out of her uniform and into regular clothes, Ranger did the same. He smiled at the look of surprise on her face when he emerged from the closet in black jeans and a black and charcoal polo shirt. There were a lot of changes in his life within the past year. None of which he ever would have predicted in a million years. The comfort he felt about it all surprised him the most. He enjoyed being _Carlos_ again. Everything used to be black and white. Stephanie added color…a lot of color.

Ranger smirked at Stephanie's eye roll as he glided the Turbo into a front row parking spot right by the mall entrance.

"Problem, Babe?" he teased.

"Do you call ahead or something? You _always_ get a good spot. I've never once seen you have to park at the back of the lot," she whined.

"I can move the car if you want," Ranger offered.

Stephanie shook her head. "Hell no. I'm not walking that far."

"That's what I thought," he muttered as he exited the car.

He sauntered around to the passenger side to get her door for her. She put her hand in his as he helped her to her feet. He knew he had to tell Stephanie that he planned on going into the bookstore. If it pissed her off, he could make it up to her with a major shopping spree. And hot sex.

As he guided her towards the book store, he could feel her eyes burning into the side of his head even before she spoke.

"Where are we going?"

Although she asked, he knew that she knew exactly where they were headed.

"Intel. Trust me."

Stephanie sighed. "Okay…just don't blame me if you go to hell."

Ranger squeezed her hand as he dragged a somewhat reluctant Stephanie inside the book store. A petit, red head sat hunched over a book at the counter. He assumed the woman was Xylia because Stephanie stopped in her tracks.

The woman's head popped up from her reading, and her face fell. Obviously, she wasn't up for a confrontation either.

"H-hi, Xylia," Stephanie forced out after clearing her throat. "Um…this is my fiancé…Carlos."

Xylia slid from her stool and nodded. "Hello."

Ranger broke the awkward silence. "I hope you can help me. We're expecting twins, and I'm looking for as much information as I can get."

Xylia nodded and pointed to the _Medical_ section. "There are many books here. I gave Stephanie a very popular book. Have you read that one?" She held up _What To Expect When You're Expecting_.

Ranger's plan worked like a charm. Not only would he be able to get her finger prints but another copy of that book to boot! He promised Stephanie he wouldn't read _her_ book. This would be _his_ book.

"I'll take that one," Ranger told her.

"No," Stephanie insisted. She stepped forward, grabbed the book from Xylia's hands, and shoved it back in the open slot. "He doesn't need to read that book. He's _not _the one expecting!"

Ranger internally groaned. His plan called for Xylia to carry the book to the register, leaving a minimal amount of contamination, and place it directly into the bag. Easy…right? Wrong! He forgot to factor in Stephanie. I should have known better, he thought with a mental head slap.

Xylia, not missing a beat, pulled another book from the shelf. "Well this one isn't really _appropriate_ because you are _not_ married, but…" She shot Stephanie a dirty look as she held up _What To Expect When You're Wife Is Expecting._

"That will work," Ranger told her.

"Well since I'm _not_ your wife yet…." Stephanie snatched this book and returned it to the shelf. "You don't need that one either."

"You'll be my wife very soon, Babe."

Stephanie pulled another book off the shelf from the nearby _Collectibles_ section. "Here…you can lean about collecting ant farms."

Ranger took her by the arm. "Excuse us for a moment."

He led Stephanie to the other side of the store. "Babe…I'm trying to get her finger prints. I would appreciate it if you would stop grabbing the books out of her hand and smudging the prints."

Stephanie's eyes widened. "Well you could have told me that's what you were doing! So get the ant farm book."

"I don't _want_ the ant farm book. I want the other one," he insisted as he softened his expression. "Please?"

Stephanie frowned as she placed both hands on her hips. "Oh that is _so _not fair. You're using the 'P' word against me."

"And this." He leaned down, and his mouth claimed hers. He knew her whimper signaled defeat.

"Please don't sin in here," Xylia yelled at them. "This is a proper book store…not a brothel."

Stephanie broke from the kiss. "See? I _told_ you."

Stephanie pulled Ranger back to the _Medical_ section. "Okay…we'll take the _Wife_ book."

Xylia retrieved the same book, but Stephanie stopped her and pointed to the one next to it.

"No…get that one. I don't want the smudged one."

Xylia frowned in confusion but did as she was asked. She directed them back to the register. For the first time, Stephanie noticed how horrible Xylia looked. The hair pulled back into a messy bun highlighted the dark circles under her eyes. It appeared as if she hadn't slept in a week. A twinge of guilt tugged at Stephanie's heart. Obviously, Xylia still hurt from their break-up. And…she looked lost.

"So…," Stephanie began, "I'm really sorry things didn't work out with Lester."

Xylia harrumphed. "Well now he can spend more time with you and his babies." She pointed to Stephanie's belly.

Stephanie noticed Ranger's mouth tighten as he straightened up. "Where are you getting that from? _Carlos_ is the father of our twins…not _Lester_," she pointed out.

"Maybe the reason you 2 aren't married is because she is married to Lester," Xylia continued.

"I'm _not_ married to Lester! These aren't Lester's babies! You are crazier than I thought you were!" Stephanie exclaimed.

"You told Linda that you 2 were married," Xylia shot back. "And I saw you kissing in the mall. I'm not stupid you know! He broke up with me because of you!"

Ranger gave Stephanie a sideways glance with an eyebrow raised. Her mouth did its fish impersonation as it opened and closed.

"He kissed the top of my head because I was scared. Maybe where you come from…that's like 3rd base…but not in the real world. And _Linda_ doesn't know her _ass_ from a _hole_ in the ground. I am not married to Lester. I am engaged to this man, and he is the father of my babies. Lester broke up with _you_ because of _you…_and Jesus!" Stephanie turned to Ranger. "Let's get out of here."

Ranger paid for the book, took the bag, and dutifully followed Stephanie towards the entrance.

"Judge not lest ye be judged Stephanie. You and the other sinners will hold court with the devil!" Xylia yelled after them.

"Well good thing that I'm a fan of Judge Judy so I'll know how to defend myself!" Stephanie spat back over her shoulder.

Then she felt a dampness on her back…as if she had been sprinkled with something. She spun around and saw Xylia capping a little white bottle.

"Did you just squirt that shit on me?"

"It's holy water. If you won't save your own soul from the devil at least I can try to save those innocent babies from hell," Xylia calmly explained as she crossed herself.

Stephanie lurched forward but a firm grip on her arm pulled her towards the exit. Once they had gotten deeper inside the mall, Ranger threw his head back and laughed.

"I told you she was a weirdo," Stephanie huffed. "Did you see that? She squirted holy water on me!"

"Be thankful that it didn't burn."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "HA HA HA, Carlos! Since we're both going to hell anyway, I might as well help her see Jesus today."

Ranger pulled her to him. "If I'm going to hell, Babe, there is no one else I would rather be with." He hugged her tight.

Stephanie took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. "Do you think she hurt my car?"

"I gotta be honest…I have no idea," Ranger admitted. He held up the bag. "Maybe we can find out a little more information about the _blessed virgin_."

Stephanie's face lit up. He loved that smile.

"Come on. Let's hit Macy's. Then I want to get some chocolate covered pretzels at Gertrude Hawk's," she ordered.

"Just when I think you are eating healthier, you find some new crap to eat," Ranger groaned.

Stephanie picked out several outfits and retreated to one of the private fitting rooms. Not surprisingly, Ranger slipped in behind her.

"Hey! You're not allowed in here," she told him.

He smirked as he lowered himself on the bench. "I'm just going to sit here and watch. I promise I'll be good."

She tried on and modeled each of the outfits. "Well? Which did you like?"

"The baby blue shirt with the denim skirt," Ranger told her decisively. "The blue brings out those beautiful eyes."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "It's not my eyes that I'm worried about. I want to hide my stomach. It's like getting bigger every day."

She turned to gather her clothes to redress but felt Ranger's arms encircle her. He splayed his warm hands on her belly.

"Being pregnant makes you even more beautiful," he whispered into her ear before kissing her neck.

Stephanie relaxed into his body. "I know it's stupid, but sometimes I don't really feel beautiful."

Ranger turned her to face him. He gently backed her against the mirror. "Well…" he began in a low and husky voice, "I guess I'll have to make you feel beautiful." Remembering his brother's advice, he planned on doing just that.

He left trails of kisses down her neck, shoulder, and breasts. He paused to plant butterfly kisses on her swollen belly before sliding her lacy panties down her legs. He sank to his knees as his mouth wandered lower.

"Carlos," she breathed, "what are you doing? We can't do this here. You said you would be good."

"And I always keep my promises…we're going to do this, Babe, and it's going to be good."

He guided her left leg over his shoulder as his mouth moved to her center. Gasping, she steadied herself by holding on to the clothes rack. He knew by the tension in her body that it wouldn't take long.

An insistent knocking interrupted their private moment, but Ranger kept to his task.

"You've been in there a long time now. Are you almost done in there?" a nasal and whiney voice croaked.

"_YES!_" Stephanie cried out as her orgasm overtook her.

As her right leg weakened, Ranger supported her until her muscles stopped quivering. He slid her left leg off his shoulder before he began to kiss his way back up her body. "Feeling beautiful now?" he whispered.

A slow smile crept across her face as she nodded. Another knock at the door.

"Be right out," she told the pesky woman.

Ranger handed her the rest of her clothes as she quickly dressed. She gathered the garments that he liked and hung the discarded ones.

"Are you finished?" the woman demanded.

Stephanie pulled back the bolt and opened the door. "Uh…why actually…I am," she told the woman with a smug grin.

Ranger gave the woman a curt nod as he followed Stephanie to the nearest cash register. He didn't have to turn around to know that the woman's jaw practically hit the floor.


	24. Chapter 24

**Author's Note: **First…Happy Birthday, Bonnie! I just wanted to give a shout out to Barbara (barb4psu) to thank her for her guest appearance in the next 2 chapters. While I appreciate all the offers to comfort Lester after breaking it off with Xylia, Barbara offered first. But as Lester always says…there is plenty of him to go around, so maybe someone else will get lucky in the future.

**Chapter 24**

Stephanie felt as if it were the calm before the storm. Nothing unusual happened the entire week. Well…unusual for her world. But she couldn't shake a sense of impending doom. Once in a while, a reporter would follow her. That would be nothing if the remains proved to be those of Jimmy Hoffa. Ranger kept in constant contact with his family and contacts in Newark. So far, John's situation remained quiet as well. Maybe the black cloud that had followed all of them this past year had moved on?

With a few more hours before their last rehearsal, she had to do something to calm her nerves. To shake off some of that nervous energy, Stephanie decided to take Ivy to the dog park. She hadn't spent as much time with her lately as she should. She attached the leash, slipped her cell phone in her pocket, and took the Frisbee. Ranger left the apartment thirty minutes earlier to work out in the gym. In an uncharacteristic move, she took the stairs down to the 5th floor. She could handle two flights, but she would take the elevator down to the ground floor. Yeah, she wanted to make some changes to stay in shape, but she wasn't going to get all _Jillian Michaels_ about it. What Xylia was to Jesus…that woman was to exercise. They both really needed to get laid.

With music blasting from his iPod, Ranger didn't hear them come in. He lay flat on his back, no shirt, a fine sheen of sweat glistening off his flexing muscles as he bench pressed. His damp, black nylon shorts clung to his body like a second skin. Perfection, she sighed to herself. Absolute perfection. Now she felt a little guilty about wanting to use the elevator. After all, Ranger kept himself in top form. Okay, he did it because he wanted to, but he also mentioned that he loved the way she reacted to his body. And what a body it was!

"Babe?"

Stephanie jumped when she realized she got caught fantasizing about what she wanted to do with his body. She felt the heat of her blush come up from her toes.

Grinning, Ranger wiped the sweat from his face with a towel. He slung it around his neck before sauntering towards her. She knew exactly what he thought from the smirk on his face.

"Yeah, yeah…I know. I'm good for your ego," she told him.

"And you thought you'd never learn ESP," he teased.

"I feel like getting out, so I'm going to take Ivy to the park. Throw the Frisbee around. I just wanted to let you know."

He kissed the tip of her nose. "Okay. Got your phone?"

She slapped her pocket and saluted.

Ranger shook his head. "See you later."

She turned to leave and bumped into Lester in the hallway.

"Sorry, Beautiful," he told her as he deleted a text on his phone.

"You okay?" she asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. I just got another _Christ-O-Gram_ from Xylia. She's sending me all kinds of daily prayers and blessings on my email, or text messages, and my favorite…voice messages from the Lord."

"Have you talked to her?"

"Not since I broke up with her. This shit just started the other day," Lester explained. "I don't know why she started this all of a sudden."

Stephanie winced. Did her argument with Xylia fuel this religious attack on Lester? One of these days, she really had to work on keeping her mouth shut.

"What's wrong?" he prodded.

She had to work on her blank face, too.

"Um…Carlos and I sort of ran into Xylia the other day," she admitted. "The good news is that she's still crazy."

"What happened? What did she say?"

"Oh you know…we're still going to hell and all," Stephanie said. "Um…I'll talk to you later. I want to take Ivy to the park."

"Then I'll go with you. So what happened?" Lester told her as he followed her to the elevator.

She took a deep breath and told him. "But we didn't find anything with her finger prints. They didn't match the hand print on my car. I didn't think she did it anyway. But now she said that we're being judged or something. I don't know. I kind of stopped listening to her after she told Carlos that the twins were yours and that we were married."

Lester dropped his head back against the elevator wall. "I have no idea where she got that from. I didn't tell her I was breaking up with her because of you. I talked about you, but that was it. I'm sorry you got mixed up in this, Beautiful. What did Ranger say? The fact that I'm still breathing is a good sign that he didn't believe it."

The doors opened, and they walked through the lobby and out the front door.

"That sales girl at the maternity store told her we were married, and the twins were yours. Then she must have seen us together after that guy bumped into me. I guess I would think all the wrong things too if I saw Carlos touch another woman. Then I sort of corrected her that you broke up because of _her_…not me." She paused until they crossed the street.

"She squirted me with holy water to save the twins' souls…so at least something positive happened. Maybe she saw that I'm not a threat and is trying to get you back?"

Lester groaned. "I hope not."

His phone buzzed again with another religious message. He ran a hand through his hair.

"Maybe you're right. If this doesn't stop, I'm going to have to change my number."

"I'm sorry, Lester. It's probably my fault that she's calling you again," she apologized.

He waved her off and grabbed the Frisbee from her hand. "Don't sweat it, Beautiful. I got a date for tonight. Lester is moving on…and gettin' laid."

Ivy caught the Frisbee and returned it to Lester.

"Who?"

"You don't know her. She's this hot flight attendant I've bah…uh…_dated_ before." He gave her his patented, lop-sided grin. "She's in town, so I'm bringing her to Gatsby's tonight. Unfortunately, she's working some red-eye flight. So, I gotta work fast. It's been a long, dry spell. I need to get laid," he explained.

"What's her name?"

"Barbara…uh…something. Who cares what her last name is? She's hot, and she puts out. Right now, those are the most important qualities I want in a chick."

Stephanie giggled. "Don't give up on finding someone special, Lester. You deserve that."

"I'm not. One day, I'll find Mrs. Right. For now…I'll settle for Miss Do-Me in the Parking Lot."

Stephanie groaned and rolled her eyes. "You are so not right, Lester Santos!"

Ranger watched from the doorway as Stephanie finished her make-up. From the extra swipes of mascara, he knew her nerves had taken over. The baby blue top not only made her eyes pop but effectively concealed the curve of her belly. He would never mention this to her, but her stomach had grown overnight. She felt the babies move more and more…and didn't jump and curse like a sailor because it took her by surprise anymore. He wished he could feel them as well. According to his new Stephanie-sanctioned book, the average time to be able to feel the movement externally was around twenty-five weeks. Some reported feeling movement externally as early as nineteen weeks, but medical experts cast doubt on those claims. Stephanie described the feeling more like flutters and spasms. He didn't care what it felt like…he just wanted to be able to feel them himself.

"Well?"

Ranger straightened. "You look beautiful, Babe."

"Thanks," she said as her face lit up. She kissed his cheek as she hurried past him and into the closet.

She flopped onto the bench to pull on her lace-up tan, fringed suede boots. "I wanted to wear those…" She pointed to a pair of four inch blue FMPs. "But I've been so klutzy lately that I need to hide all these bruises on my legs."

He learned that as her pelvic girdle softened, along with the weight gain in her belly, it affected her center of gravity. He noticed that she had been bumping into things and stumbling a bit. Had he not read this, he would have been concerned. The only problem…there was no way he could share this with Stephanie. To use her own words, she would shit Frisbees if he knew more about what was going on with her body than she did. The right to remain silent can keep a man out of the dog house.

"You're going to be great tonight," he told her.

"You're the best at everything. I always screw up. But this is something that I'm good at. I just want you to be proud of me," she admitted.

A slow smile spread across his face. "I already am, Babe. I've always been proud of you."

The Burg grapevine must have been in overdrive. Half of Trenton showed up at Gatsby's. The bouncers not only had to check ID at the door, but names. Mike called Stephanie as soon as he realized it looked to be packed that night. She gave him the names of all her guests and reserved a couple of tables for them.

Morelli and Annemarie sat at one of the tables with Valerie and Hal. Ranger and Stephanie arrived a few minutes before Tank and Lula. The Merry Men were picking up their dates.

"Eddie's going to try to sneak out," Joe told them. "They couldn't find a sitter to watch the evil ones. I have to page him, so Shirley thinks he got called into work."

Stephanie snorted. "If Shirley wasn't our cousin, I would say that was being really mean."

"Looks like you gotta great turn out, White Girl," Lula added as she scanned the room. "I'm gonna tell everyone that you my best friend. I ain't never known no celebrity before."

"Being a celebrity isn't all it's cracked up to be," Stephanie muttered.

She felt the warmth of Ranger's arm as he slung it over her shoulders. She eased herself into his side.

"Now I'm really starting to understand the whole low profile thing," she told him. "I can see the benefits to staying out of the public's eye."

"Cupcake, you couldn't stay outta the public's eye if you tried," Joe teased.

Annemarie squeezed Morelli's hand. "Of course she can. You need to give her a lot more credit that you do. Stephanie is far from helpless."

"Thank you, Annemarie," Stephanie replied. "I'm not helpless. Yeah, I don't always make the greatest choices…but I'm not helpless."

Morelli glared at Annemarie. "I never said she was helpless. Trouble always seems to find her. That's what I meant. Even when she was a kid."

Morelli rose and dropped her hand. "I'll get the first round. What is everyone having?"

After taking the order, Morelli zigzagged his way to the bar. Ranger also rose.

"I'll give him a hand."

Ranger sidled up to the bar next to Morelli. He gave Ranger a sideways glance.

"Everything all right?"

Morelli sighed. "Yeah…we just had a little…disagreement before we got here. I mentioned something about finding someone to house-sit for me if I get accepted to the Academy. I take the test in 2 weeks. I think Annemarie expected me to ask her to move in with me."

Ranger nodded. "Being away from someone you love is hard. Believe me…I know."

Morelli shrugged. "I like Annemarie. A lot. She has the potential to be someone that I would want to marry and have a family with. It's too soon. We've only known each other about 2 months now."

Ranger smirked. He and Stephanie had fireworks from the beginning. Although he had refused to admit it at the time, he knew Stephanie was the one for him.

Morelli looked over at their table and then back to Ranger. "I know we got off to a bad start," he began. "I misjudged you, and I'm sorry. It's just that when it comes to Stephanie…well…I'm a little over protective of her. To me, she'll always be that little girl with the pigtails holding that black stuffed dog."

Ranger smiled at that thought. "Well I guess I owe you an apology, too. You 2 have a history together. She loves you and thinks of you as one of her best friends. That was hard for me to accept."

"Shit…it was hard for me to accept that she loves you," Joe added. "She does, you know…_a lot_. This is the happiest I've ever seen her. But be warned…if you hurt her…and I mean _really_ hurt her with no misunderstandings…you'll have me to deal with. I know how Steph's mind works. It's scary sometimes, but I know she reacts without thinking first. She can drive you crazy, but she is so worth the effort. I still want to be a part of her life…even if it's only as a good friend."

Ranger nodded. "Good friends are hard to come by. I don't have a problem with that."

Morelli grinned from ear to ear. "And I'll make a great uncle too. Just you wait and see…" He trailed off as his jaw dropped.

"Holy shit," he muttered under his breath.

"What?" Ranger demanded and followed Morelli's gaze.

A woman with huge, teased red hair and fake boobs clad in a leather cat woman-like suit sauntered over to them.

"Well…hello, Joe," she purred. "How are the boys hanging?"

She turned and looked Ranger up and down like she had undressed him with her eyes. "Yum. Who is this delicious specimen of a man?"

Morelli turned to Ranger. "This is Joyce Barnhardt. Joyce…this is…" He stopped because he didn't know how to introduce him. Should he have said Ranger? Or Carlos Manoso? Ranger must have sensed his dilemma because he stuck out his hand.

"Carlos Manoso."

Joyce slipped her hand in his making it obvious she expected him to kiss it. Ranger pulled his hand away quickly.

"I heard you were back in town," Morelli cut in.

"Yes. I moved back earlier this week. I'm taking care of Dickie Orr's house. He told me that he had business out of town for a while and asked me to live in his house. Of course, I'll have to redecorate. His tacky ex-wife has no taste at all. The place looks like a cheap, Route One hourly motel. Then again…she couldn't satisfy him either. Once a man has me…no other woman can compare," Joyce rattled on.

Ranger bit the inside of his mouth. He wanted to put this bitch in her place but thought it better to ignore her. This was Stephanie's night, and she didn't need the extra drama.

"So Carlos…" Joyce continued as she ran a lacquered nail down his chest, "you must be new in town. I can give you a tour…and show you a real good time."

"This is Stephanie's fiancé, Joyce," Morelli interrupted. He handed Ranger two pitchers of beer. "He's not available."

"That hasn't stopped me before," Joyce insisted.

Ranger gave her a curt nod before heading back to the table.

Morelli grabbed the rest of the drinks. "Stephanie's not the weak person you think she is, Joyce," he warned. "She'll knock your dick in the dirt."

She harrumphed as he pushed past her and followed Ranger back to the group.

Knowing that Stephanie didn't do well with surprises, Ranger took her aside the moment he got back to the table.

"I just want to tell you that Joyce Barnhardt is here," he started. "She said that Orr called her to house-sit while he was out of town. We know he's under protection of the Feds. We've all got your back, Babe. When you get up on stage…show her what you are made of."

Stephanie rubbed her temples. This was so not good. Joyce Barnhardt could always find a way to get under her skin. Joyce was the bane of her existence.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded as he pulled her close. "She has been a thorn in my side since kindergarten, Carlos. And seeing her screwing my husband…in my own house…it was horrible. The _ultimate_ humiliation. I know I didn't love Dickie, but it was like she got one over on me again," she whined.

"Living well is the best revenge, Babe," Ranger soothed.

Stephanie smirked. "I kind of like the Klingon proverb of….revenge is a dish best served cold."

Ranger raised one eyebrow. "How many Star Trek marathons have you watched with Mooner?"

"One too many I guess," she snorted.

"Well…you have nothing to worry about with me. I love you. You are the only woman I want…for the rest of my life. You can trust me."

Her face lit up. "I do trust you, Carlos. I don't trust her. But you're right. I have to finally stand up to her. I've always let her get the best of me. Always. Not anymore. I'm going to go out there and knock it out of the park. And if that doesn't work…I'm gonna break my foot off in her ass!"

While Ranger warned Stephanie about Joyce, Morelli filled in the rest of the group. Those that knew Joyce Barnhardt knew this woman would take any and every opportunity to rub Stephanie's face in it.

Frankie's band started to play their first set. Lester finally arrived with his date. Since time was a factor, he made sure they had sex when she picked him up at Haywood. Barbara had to go straight to the airport after they left Gatsby's. All eyes fixed on them as they approached the table.

"This is Barbara!" he yelled over the music. "She could give a shit about Jesus!"

Barbara stood about average height. She had a thick head of strawberry blonde hair and a killer body. Lester couldn't keep his hands off her ass. He introduced her to everyone before he pulled her to the dance floor.

"That girl sure don't look like one of them Amish," Lula commented. "He must've got some 'cause he don't look so uptight."

Tank was just about to ask Lula to dance when he saw a leather-clad, red head approach the table. He elbowed Ranger.

"Well, well, well," she said. "If it's isn't Stephanie Orr. Oops…I mean Plum. Dickie got rid of you years ago. I see the years haven't been kind. You've gotten quite fat."

Ranger, who had his arm draped over Stephanie's shoulders, felt her stiffen. He squeezed her shoulder to let her know he had her back.

"I see that you've spent all your ex-husbands' money on plastic surgery. I hope you sued to get your money back. You look like an advertisement for malpractice lawsuits," Stephanie quipped.

Joyce ignored Stephanie's barb. "Where's my Mustang? Dickie said you took it. That was my car!"

Stephanie jumped from her seat. "It was my car, and you know it. I made him give it back to me months ago."

"The reason he took it back from you was because I loved that car. He let me use it when I was around. Well…I'm back in town, and I want my car back!" she demanded. Her eyes dropped to Stephanie's protruding belly.

"Aw look…" she sing-songed, "another unwed mother!"

Stephanie's blood began to boil. "Aw look…" she mimicked, "a fist!"

Stephanie's knuckles smashed in Joyce's nose before anyone could move a muscle. From the sickening crunch, Ranger instantly knew she had broken Joyce's nose. He saw that flicker in her eyes that she gets before she strikes. He wanted to grab her before she could do any damage, but he likened it to watching a train wreck in slow motion. He just couldn't move fast enough.

Joyce's hands flew to her face as blood poured from her nostrils. "You bitch! I just had dis redone!"

The group offered no help as they cheered Stephanie on.

"You go, White Girl!" Lula exclaimed. "Beat that fuckin' bitch down!"

Mike noticed the commotion and waved to the bouncers to have Joyce removed. Two huge, muscle-bound men appeared on either side of Joyce.

"Sorry, Miss," one said to her. "You're going to have to leave."

"Be?" she cried, incredulous. "She hit be! Why don't you throw dat bitch out? I'll get you, Stephadie Plum! Say goodbye to your dew man, because I'll hab him in by bed in do time. Just like I did before!"

"Bye bye, Joyce!" Stephanie taunted as Ranger pulled her away.

They watched as the bouncers dragged her to the exit. Mike smiled and waved to Stephanie. She returned the gesture. Could this night get any better?

"I thought you were going to break your foot off in her ass," Ranger joked.

Stephanie shrugged. "I was. But the more I thought about it…I like these boots. They're suede. I don't know where her ass has been."

Frankie's band started to play Eric Clapton's _Wonderful Tonight_. Ranger pulled her to the dance floor.

"There seems to be an outbreak of women becoming suddenly bruised around you," Ranger teased but quickly became somber. "You okay?"

Stephanie nodded. "I can't help it. She always gets to me. I don't know why, but she always makes me feel like such a loser. It's bad enough she screwed my husband, but rubbing it in about the Mustang is like rubbing salt in the wound."

"She was probably saying that to get a rise out of you, Babe," Ranger told her.

Stephanie shook her head. "No…it sounds exactly like something Dickie would have done to me. I guess the joke's on her. I destroyed that car months ago. And Dickie is an asshole. Do you think she already knew that? Maybe she was the one that vandalized my car. I sure wouldn't put it past her."

"Don't even think about the car tonight. This is our night. Let's just have a good time," Ranger said.

Lester inserted himself between them, throwing an arm around each. "So Beautiful," he began, "when are you going on?"

She glanced down at Ranger's watch. "Probably in another hour. Frankie's half way through the first set, and they'll take a break. Why?"

With his lopsided grin, he replied, "Barbara's going to give me a _tour_ of the parking lot." He waggled his eyebrows.

Ranger shook his head as Stephanie giggled.

"Hey…she's gotta catch a 2:30 flight outta Philly. The clock is ticking. I need to have more sex. And not _just _more sex…I need more amazing _hot_ sex. Otherwise, you'll be putting me on psycho leave. See you in an hour." He kissed Stephanie's cheek and slapped Ranger on his back.

They watched as he grabbed Barbara's hand and dragged her to the exit.

"Do I need to say it?" Stephanie asked.

Ranger shook his head. "No, Babe. He's so not right."


	25. Chapter 25

**Chapter 25**

Stephanie knew her nerves would ebb once she got into the first song. But waiting to go on sure didn't help. The whine of the guitar started the intro to _Wild Thing_.

"We gotta a real treat for you tonight," Frankie announced. "A guest appearance by the Bombshell Bounty Hunter of Trenton herself….let's give it up for Stephanie Plum!"

She decided she would kill Frankie later as she trotted out to center stage and began to sing. Her eyes found Ranger's, and the smile on his face strengthened her confidence as the nerves evaporated. Stephanie got into the song as the crowd sang along with her. Of course when she finished, she got a standing ovation from Ranger and her friends.

"Thank you!" she exclaimed as she waved to them.

Next, she performed Fleetwood Mac's _Gold Dust Woman_. Stephanie loved Stevie Nicks and always included at least one of her songs in a set. They followed this up with _Baba O'Riley_ by the Who.

Once again, Stephanie's musical ability mesmerized Ranger. Yeah, she played for him all the time, but to hear her with a back-up band blew him away. Somewhere in the back of his mind, his hatred for Dickie Orr simmered. When the Feds were finally done with his sorry ass, Ranger planned on pounding him into the ground. Seeing Stephanie in her element, the full weight of what that piece of shit did to her hit him like a ton of bricks. She gave up her music because she trusted that asshole. Ranger realized the power he had over Stephanie because she now trusted him. He made a silent promise to her that he would never abuse that power. He almost lost that trust once…never again.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Tara filming the set. Ram had been using his new Flip camera. Mike told them Tara would be coming late, but he didn't see her come in and set up. He definitely wanted a copy. Stephanie needed to see what an amazing talent she had.

Dancing along with _Miss Amanda Jones_, the energy of the crowd really got Stephanie pumped. She had forgotten how much fun it was to play for a live audience. Adding another Stone's tune, _Beast of Burden_ followed. Several times, she caught Ranger's head bobbing to the beat. What a difference between Ranger and Dickie! To say the difference was like day and night would have been the understatement of the year. Dickie never supported her music. And…she allowed him to bully her into giving it up. Not only did Ranger support her music, he encouraged it. Another reason why she loved him, Ranger accepted her one hundred percent. Well maybe not her diet, but he did lighten up a little. For all his preaching, she caught him sneaking a few of her chocolate covered pretzels, too.

When they played together as _The Trenton Local_, Mike would sing some Tom Petty songs. Frankie had a voice that could sound like a lot of popular singers. Stephanie also had a wide range. With all their diversity, Stephanie sang duets with them often. She picked another Stevie Nicks' song to sing with Mike…_Stop Dragging My Heart Around_.

As the applause died down, Stephanie grabbed her guitar from the side of the stage and slipped the strap over her shoulder. "It really means a lot to me to have just about all of the most important people in my life here tonight," Stephanie told the crowd.

"And those people know what a crazy year it's been. It's because of you that I was able to put myself back together. So this song is for you."

Stephanie began to strum the opening for her song _Unbroken_. She maintained eye contact with Ranger throughout. Although his face gave away nothing, she could see that he also connected with the song. Even though the song reflected her personal feelings, Ranger went through the same thing.

Once again, everyone went wild. Lula's unearthly Bigfoot mating call could be heard above the roar of the crowd. The poor waitress that bustled past their table dropped her tray of drinks as Bobby clapped his hands over his ears. Time to lighten the mood.

"Thank you!" She waited for the noise to simmer down. "I want to dedicate this next song to a very good friend who unexpectedly found Jesus."

Ranger smirked as the guys razzed Lester.

"Yeah yeah yeah," Lester retorted. "You're just jealous 'cause I've seen God a few times tonight already."

They played Joan Osbourne's _One of Us_.

"Real cute, Beautiful," Lester yelled to her after the song.

They rounded out the set with _Goodbye to You_, _Le Bel Age_, _Barracuda_, and finished with _Bohemian Rhapsody_. The roar of the crowd touched Stephanie's soul. There were so many bad memories in her past. They seemed to overshadow all the good ones. Tonight reminded her that she did have good times. And…it opened her eyes that more good times still lay ahead.

She didn't make it off the stage before Ranger pulled into his arms. He claimed her mouth with his in a passionate kiss.

She pulled back and gave him a quick peck on the nose. "So…I guess you liked it, huh?"

His mouth tipped up as he barely nodded. "So proud of you, Babe," he whispered into her ear.

"That was fun," she admitted. "Too bad Joyce missed it."

She placed her guitar back in its case.

"You rocked it again, Steph," Mike told her.

"Definitely gonna want to you sing with us again," Frankie added. "We're playing here in a couple of months. You game?"

Stephanie rubbed her belly. "Keep me posted. I'll have to play it day by day. I don't know how I'm going to feel then."

Frankie nodded then excused himself to get a drink.

"I see that Tara made it here in time," Mike said. "She'll make you a copy of the set. You were really great tonight, Steph. Brought back a lot of memories. We really had some good times."

Stephanie grinned. "Well…I'm sure there still will be good times ahead."

Mike squeezed her shoulder before heading back to tend the bar.

Ranger tucked a stray curl behind her ear. "Loved the new song. I really could relate to it. We've been through a lot this year. Being with you made me stronger. I hope you were able to get some strength from me. I love you so much."

"You _are_ my strength, Carlos. Thanks for loving me for just the way I am."

Lester barged in between them again. "You were great, Beautiful."

He kissed her temple. "I'm outta here. We only have a couple of hours before she's gotta leave."

"I'm really glad you came, Lester. It meant a lot to me," Stephanie told him.

He waggled his eyebrows again. "I'm glad I _came_, too. See you guys tomorrow."

Rolling her eyes, she turned to Ranger and giggled. "No…it doesn't need to be said. How about we go back to the table? I need something to drink. I'm so thirsty. Then let's go home. I'm really tired all of a sudden. It's been a long and exciting day, and I forgot to take a nap today."

"You were great, Pumpkin."

Stephanie whirled around to see her father leaning against the wall.

"Daddy? What are you doing here?"

"I wanted to hear you sing. It's been a long time since you've climbed on to the roof in the middle of the night. I've missed that," he explained.

A twinge of guilt came over her as she hugged her father. Stephanie didn't even consider asking her parents to come. While she could see her father wanting to come, she couldn't picture Helen Plum cheering her on in the audience. Maybe she needed to show her mother what her daughter was about? Stephanie noticed that her mother had been trying harder to get along. This could have been a great olive branch.

"I'm sorry, Daddy," Stephanie whined. "This only came about a few days ago. I didn't even think about asking you and mom to come. But I promise I will next time."

"You're going to do this again?" Frank asked.

"Definitely."

He kissed the top of her head and shook Ranger's hand. "Actually, I've got the cab tonight. I snuck over here to take a chance on seeing you, so I've got to head out. I'll see you both tomorrow for dinner."

Ranger turned to Stephanie with an eyebrow raised. She returned a sheepish smile and shrugged.

"Didn't I tell you? My mom's making roast chicken…especially for you. With steamed vegetables," she offered.

"You are so lucky that I love you, Babe. Subjecting myself to your crazy grandmother goes above and beyond the call of duty," he replied.

"I'm sure I can make it worth your while," she sing-songed.

"I plan to take you up on that," he retorted with a smirk. "Come on. We'll have one more drink and head home. You need to start my compensation tonight."

"Well since I'm kind of tired…why don't we skip the drink, say goodbye to everyone, and head home now?"

Ranger grabbed her guitar with his left hand then grabbed her hand with his right. "Let's go."

He knew it would take some time to get through all the goodbyes and adulation everyone wanted to give Stephanie. Just from the time she got off the stage, he could see the fatigue overwhelming her. She didn't take her usual afternoon nap, and now she paid for it. As much as he wanted to get her home to pay up, he just wanted to get her home so she could lie down. Many times, he thought Stephanie got tired because she over did things. She always insisted that fatigue would hit her all of a sudden. Now he had no doubt. He also read a section about fatigue in his new book, but he'd never tell her that. Otherwise, Stephanie would throw that book out, too.

Because the guitar wouldn't fit in the Porsche, Ranger took the Mercedes. He helped Stephanie into the passenger side before sliding the guitar onto the back seat. The Mercedes glided towards the exit when they noticed movement to their left.

Lester had his date, Barbara, bent over her rental car and serviced her from behind. Stephanie gasped as she pointed to them before she covered her eyes.

"Oh my God! I can't believe him!" She glanced at Ranger and giggled. "Well…I guess I can."

Ranger pinched the bridge of his nose as he rolled down his window. "Santos! Don't I pay you well enough to afford a hotel room?"

Lester looked over his shoulder and smiled. "You offering me a raise?" He turned back around to get back to business.

Ranger shook his head as he stepped on the gas pedal. "He is so not right Babe."

He pulled out of the lot and prepared to make a turn when Stephanie grabbed his hand.

"Stop!" she gasped.

"What's wrong?" He slammed on the brakes.

Stephanie pulled his hand to the left side of her belly. "Do you feel that?"

Ranger applied pressure but didn't feel a thing. "No…what was it?"

Stephanie's shoulders slumped. "I thought I could feel one of them moving."

Ranger felt a little flutter. It felt more like a muscle spasm. His face it up.

"Did you just feel that?" Stephanie asked.

"Yeah…I felt it that time." He splayed his hand on the site but didn't feel anymore movement. "That was incredible. Are they still moving? I don't feel anything."

She shook her head. "I don't feel anything right now. Were you really able to feel it?"

He nodded. "It felt like a muscle spasm. What does it feel like for you?"

"It started out feeling like gas, but it does feel like muscle spasms right now. I can't imagine what a kick is going to feel like. That was the first time I could feel it on the outside," she explained.

Ranger swelled with pride. Finally, he was there for another first.

"I'm sure it was your son," she told him, "Watching Lester have sex in the parking lot probably got him excited."

Ranger shook his head as he put the car in gear. "Like father, like son."

Stephanie snorted. "So what turned you on more? Watching live Lester porn or me?"

He stepped on the gas, and the car lurched forward. "Just hearing you breathe turns me on, Babe."

"I'm starting to believe that _you're_ not right," she groaned.

The next morning, Ranger eased himself out of bed without waking up Stephanie. For as exhausted as she was, they still made love several times during the night. He decided to let her sleep late while he squeezed in a work-out. Stephanie would need all her strength for dinner with her parents. Ivy seemed to sense his intentions because she followed him into the closet with her leash in her mouth.

After his run, he wanted to check in with John. Last night was the first night that John had been on his own. Ranger left orders that he couldn't leave the building. John had done everything thing that Ranger asked him to do. He wanted to do something extra special for John but didn't have any ideas. Maybe Stephanie could think of something to get him. Or maybe they could take him out somewhere.

Ranger grinned from ear to ear seeing John on the treadmill when he entered the gym. As much as John enjoyed himself, he admitted to Ranger the other day that he missed his family. Celia depended on him a lot. Being a working single mother had its drawbacks. Celia hated to depend on others, so John picked up the slack.

John stopped the treadmill as soon as he noticed Ranger. He hopped off the machine and hurried over to Ranger. He looked nervous.

"Is everything okay?"

John shook his head. "Miguel called me 4 times last night. At first, I didn't answer 'cause I didn't recognize the number. He didn't leave a message either. I picked up the 4th time. He said that him and Aggie got released because I rolled on T-Day."

"When did they get out?" Ranger frowned as he reached for his phone. Hunter hadn't called him.

"He didn't say. T-Day's still in jail. He asked me how I got out. I told him that my uncle new the DA when he was a cop."

Ranger left a short message for Hunter. "Call me."

He turned back to John. "What else was said?"

"He wanted to know where I was. I told him that I was in Miami because the DA released me to my uncle's custody. Was that okay?"

Ranger squeezed his shoulder. "Yeah, you did fine. If he calls again, you need to let me know right away."

John nodded. "Even if it's in the middle of the night?"

"Yes, I don't care what time it is. Is he going to call you again? Did he say anything else?" Ranger demanded.

"I thought someone else rolled on T-Day, and that they weren't going to need me," John insisted.

Ranger's phone rang. Hunter told him that he had not been notified of their release. He called the DA, and he confirmed that those boys were still in jail.

"One of them called John," Ranger told him. "He's getting the blame. Did Aguilar recant?"

"As far as I know…no. He's been moved to protective custody and is in another section of the jail. Same as the other kid. Gutierrez wasn't able to post bail. Sounds like they are trying to set up John to protect themselves. You may want to move your family just to be safe," Hunter replied.

Ranger ended the conversation and immediately called his father. He planned on taking them to the beach house in Longport anyway. He could get them moved in today. Celia could be a problem. If he had to, he would call the hospital administrator. The teams watching his parents' house had not seen anything suspicious. They knew the routine of the entire neighborhood by heart. Something didn't add up.

Could it be that John's friend wanted to save his own neck buy putting the blame on John? Highly probable. He knew John's last name was McCaffrey. John said that he never mentioned his mother's maiden name, but that didn't mean these punks didn't know it. John told him they hadn't been friends that long…only a couple of months. So it would be easy for this kid to throw John to the wolves.

His father agreed to do whatever Ranger felt best. He didn't want to over react, but didn't want to take unnecessary chances either. He made one last call to his old friend Manny. Manny hadn't heard much about this case on the streets but said he would ask around and call Ranger back.

"John," Ranger ordered, "give your phone to Hector to trace where that call came from. It wasn't collect…was it?"

John shook his head. "No, it came up as unknown. What are we going to do? Is my family in danger?"

Ranger gave him a reassuring smile. "No, I've got men watching the house. We'll finish getting all the intel and make a decision. If we have to, we'll move them. Tell Hector I want that number yesterday."

John ran off to see Hector while Ranger called Tank. He wanted him briefed in case he had to call a full alert. Tank promised Ranger that he had their backs. Manny called back to confirm there wasn't any word out on John.

His phone rang. Hector. The call came from a pre-paid cell that must have been snuck into the jail. Maybe this kid tried to get some information from John. This left Ranger with a very settling feeling in his gut. It might not be ready to hit the fan today…but it was coming. He called his father back.

"What do you want us to do?" Raoul asked. "I think we're okay for now. Especially since you are having us watched. But if you feel strongly that we need to leave, that's what we'll do."

Ranger sighed. "The twins have one more week of school. I'd rather not pull them out unless it's necessary. Do you feel comfortable staying home?"

"I think we'll be all right, Carlos," Raoul replied. "It's not like we can't pick up and go at a moment's notice. I think Raoul called in some favors. I've noticed more patrol cars in the area since this has happened. How's John?"

Ranger beamed. "He's doing great, Dad. He's done everything I've asked and all with a positive attitude. He wants to go to MIT. I'm going to make sure he gets there. I want to do something for him, but I don't have any ideas."

"Well I don't think you always have to reward someone for doing the right thing, but just use your best judgment."

"Thanks, Dad," Ranger said. "I thought Stephanie and I could take him out for dinner or something, too."

"How is my future daughter-in-law doing?"

"Doing good. I was able to feel the babies last night. Just a little flutter, but it was incredible. It's like her stomach stays the same for a while then grows overnight. How's Mom?"

Raoul laughed. "She's fine. I hate to tell you that she has a list of ideas for your wedding. She wants to talk to Stephanie's mother about a bridal shower. Since you are getting married in about 2 months, she wants to have something the end of this month or early July. I'm just giving you fair warning. And she's trying to prepare for Ana and deal with Rena."

"Is Rena drinking again?"

Ranger heard his father sigh. "I don't know for sure, but I think so. She's been very sneaky again. I told your mother that I will kick her out and not let her back in if she doesn't stay sober. We're not helping her by giving her a safety net all the time."

When it rains, it pours, Ranger thought.

Ranger called John, Tank, and Hector into his office to discuss the situation.

"I'm thinking that we have you call him back," Ranger told John. "Ask him some questions. He won't expect it. We need to find out who else he's been talking to."

The men worked out a story for John to make sure his answers sounded genuine. And it came as no surprise that the call blind-sided Miguel.

"Who gave you this number?" he demanded.

"It showed up on my caller ID, dumb ass," John explained.

"Why are you calling me?"

"I want to know who told you that I ratted on T-Day. I didn't say a word. I'm not taking the heat for this," John continued.

"I don't know," Miguel back peddled. "It just looks bad that you got bailed out first."

"I told you…my uncle was a cop in Newark. The DA owed him a favor."

"Can he talk to the DA for me? What's your uncle's name?"

Ranger nodded to John. They didn't know his mother was a Manoso. The tension eased a bit.

"Dan…Dan McCaffrey. I can talk to him about it, but he's pissed off at me. I don't know if he would do it." John responded fluidly. He answered everything just like they rehearsed.

"Shit…I need to get outta this fuckin' place, man," Miguel groaned.

"I thought you said that you got out? What's going on?"

"Shit man….I gotta go. You're usin' up my minutes."

Ranger again nodded to John.

"Listen to me…you throw me under the bus, Miguel, and I'll make sure I tell everyone that it was _you_ that rolled on T-Day," John told him firmly before he disconnected the call.

"Good job," Ranger said. "Aguilar made a deal. Hunter said the DA is keeping this under wraps and making sure all 3 of them are separated. I talked to my other friend, and there isn't any buzz on the street. This kid is a low level punk. No one seems to be too upset about their friends in jail."

John sighed. "I hope so. I don't want anything to happen to my Mom or brothers because of me."

"Sounds like this kid doesn't know much," Tank agreed.

"He knows where I live though." John grimaced.

"That's an easy fix," Ranger added. "We can get you moved somewhere else."

"Yeah…like Mom will love that," John joked.

"I'll deal with your mother," Ranger said. "If he calls you again, record the call like Hector showed you. We've got guards on the house and watching the family. Hunter will call if anything changes. We'll just stay one step ahead, and things will work out."

"Thanks, Uncle Carlos."

"What are you doing today? You can come with us to Steph's parents for dinner if you want," Ranger offered.

Tank and Hector shuddered.

"Well…Ram and Woody asked me to play softball with them. Then we were going to grab pizza or something. Maybe another time," John said diplomatically.

"They've been talking about Steph's grandmother again…haven't they?"

Tank and Hector looked around the room at everything but Ranger's glare.

"It would be totally _gross_ for an old lady to grab my ass," John blurted out.

Ranger shook his head. "You might as well get out while you can. I think the DNA results are coming back this week. If that body was Jimmy Hoffa….and I'm sure it is because that was Stephanie's car…it's going to be a zoo."


	26. Chapter 26

**Chapter 26**

The pucker factor for John's situation decreased tremendously. It still didn't mean that Ranger would let his guard down yet. Gangs' next generation seemed to lack the loyalty of his time. A favorable fact for John. Ranger still thought about taking everyone to the Longport beach house this weekend. It would get them all out of town and give them a change to relax and unwind.

Now, Ranger needed to unwind. Stephanie's snore resonated throughout the apartment. She didn't snore before she gained the weight. And he would rather be recaptured and tortured again by the Columbians than tell Stephanie that she snored. She had a hard enough time dealing with her expanding waistline. There was no way in hell that he would give her something else to cry about.

He toed off his sneakers and slid between the sheets. Stephanie didn't budge. Watching her sleep always calmed him. Why? He had no idea but gave up trying to figure it out a long time ago. He snaked a hand around and splayed it on her belly. Last night, he actually felt some movement. His fingers gently explored the ever growing baby bump. Bump didn't seem to fit anymore. It wasn't quite a basketball yet either.

Her body sensed his presence as she molded herself against him. The snoring subsided when she rolled on her side. The rhythmic rise and fall of her torso began to immediately center him. The tension drained from his body. Taking a short nap with Stephanie sounded like a great idea. He would need his strength for dinner with her family later. He liked Frank. Her mother left little to be desired, but Ranger noticed that she looked like she had been trying to improve her relationship with Stephanie. He didn't dislike Grandma Mazur. Actually, she could be fun. It just made him uncomfortable when she talked about his package all the time.

Later that afternoon, Ranger led Stephanie to the garage. Being late for dinner would bestow unspeakable ills upon Stephanie such as the withholding of pineapple upside down cake. He didn't realize he had been staring until she spoke.

"What?" She frowned.

"You look beautiful."

She did. The turquoise Henley under the stone-washed denim jumper made her blue eyes look as if they were backlit. The pregnancy book talk about the glow pregnant women had. He could really see it now.

Stephanie just rolled her eyes. Before she had a chance to comment, she bumped into Lester as the elevator doors opened.

"Hey Beautiful," he greeted. He gave Ranger a friendly nod. "You were great last night. Barbara said you rocked."

Stephanie snorted. Yeah, she thought, looked like Barbara rocked last night too!

"So where are you 2 going?" Lester asked.

"Dinner at my parents," she explained.

Lester shuddered at the thought of Grandma Mazur. "You're a better man than I am."

"Always was," Ranger muttered.

"So what are you doing tonight?" Stephanie enquired.

Lester broke out into a full grin. "Got a page from Barbara. She's coming by tonight because she's got a lay-over in Philly. Get it? Lay over?"

Ranger shook his head as he grabbed Stephanie by the hand to pull her towards the Porsche.

"I'm not going to say it, Babe."

Stephanie and Ranger kept Frank's secret and didn't mention seeing him the night before. Helen showed off the blue blanket she had almost finished crocheting. Frank pulled out a bag of clothes he bought for his future grandson.

"Look at these," he told them proudly.

He held up a blue onesie that read _Grandpa's Little Boy_.

"Aw Daddy," Stephanie and Valerie gushed in unison.

"And these." He pulled out two more that read _I Love Grandpa_ and _Grandpa's Best Boy_.

"But what if the other baby is a boy, too? Which one will be your best boy?" Stephanie asked.

Frank gave her a dismissive wave. "I bought 2 of each just in case."

"I want to wait until we know what the other baby is," Helen added. "Then I'll work on the second blanket."

Stephanie admired the stitches on the blanket. Her mother always did great work. She must have made hundreds of baby blankets over the years. Never in a million years did she ever think her mother would be making not one, but two, for her!

"This is really nice, Mom," Stephanie told her.

"I learned a new stitch," Helen answered proudly.

If people didn't know their history, they wouldn't have understood how profound that comment was. Helen did a lot of things for Stephanie. Maybe more that Stephanie gave her credit for. But her mother went out of her way to do something special this time. The tears began to fall. Damn pregnancy hormones!

"Thank you, Mom." She threw her arms around her mother's neck. It took a second before she felt her mother's arms encircle her.

Before allowing herself to get too caught up in the moment, Helen pulled back.

"I have to check on the roast," she announced before bustling into the kitchen.

The conversation over dinner contained light banter about local gossip. The focus again turned to the twins while Helen served the pineapple upside down cake.

"So have you picked out any names yet?" Frank wondered.

Stephanie swallowed the mouthful of cake with an audible gulp.

"We need to come up with another boy's name in case the player to be named later is a boy, but Ricardo Carlos…after his father. And if it's a girl…Rosa Marie," she told them.

"Those are wonderful names," Valerie agreed.

Helen forcefully attacked her piece of cake with the fork.

"Carlos lived with his grandmother, Rosa, for a while. She was a very special person in his life. And I thought it would be nice to remember Aunt Marie. We really don't talk about her…" Stephanie trailed off when her mother shot her a sharp look.

"It's because it's too painful. Why don't you name her after you own grandmother?" Helen bristled.

Edna jumped in. "Oh yeah, right! You would want to name a child Edna? I don't know what my mother was thinking when she named me. Now, the only good thing is that at the Senior Center I am known as _Head_-na." She removed her teeth and wiggled her tongue at Ranger.

Frank gagged while Ranger blanched. Mary Alice giggled while Valerie's and Angie's jaws dropped.

"I know what that means, Grammie," Mary Alice told her as she wiggled her tongue back at her.

"You do not, Mary Alice! Stop telling a fib," Angie warned.

Mary Alice put her hands on her hips and replied, "I _do_ so. Tony Morelli told me all about it at school. And he showed me about French kissing and everything!"

Stephanie bit her lower lip to keep from laughing. Joe's brother Anthony's son, Tony, was in the same grade as Mary Alice. Talk about history repeating itself!

"Mary Alice!" Valerie cried.

"I need a drink," Frank groaned as he rose from the table. He placed a hand on Ranger's shoulder.

"Care to join me?"

Ranger immediately jumped up and nodded. He knew Frank would take a shot of his private stash that he kept hidden in the garage. Along with that shot, he would offer him a cigar. At this point, he wouldn't care if Frank offered him a glass of mule piss. He wanted to get as far away from this conversation as possible.

The more one-on-one time Ranger spent with his future father-in-law, the more he liked him. They shared similar combat experiences. Frank Plum knew the horrors of war having fought in Vietnam. The bond between combat vets rivaled no other.

Ranger saw combat in Afghanistan, but most of his experience came from covert operations. Assassinations and hostage recovery were his specialty. It didn't matter where it happened. The rules were simple…kill or be killed. That can have a profound effect on a man.

Lester zipped up his pants as Barbara reapplied her lipstick. Her rental car sat at the curb across the street from the Rangeman building. He felt like a new man. Barbara coming to town had been a God send. No pun intended! They always had this no-strings relationship because she also just wanted sex as well. Her lifestyle and work schedule made hard for her to see one person regularly. Well that…and she didn't want to limit herself to one man yet. Nothing wrong with that.

He kissed her goodbye as she promised to call when she would be in the area again. He exited the car, and she pulled away. Smiling, he sauntered towards the lobby doors. He replayed his sex fest over and over in his mind. Barbara had many talents. She used to be a gymnast in high school. She could bend her body like a pretzel. And that was nothing compared to what she just did with her mouth.

"What the fuck?" Lester hissed as his crotch suddenly dampened from a sprayed liquid.

"Lester Santos!" Xylia cried. "I saw that Strumpet of Satan defile your manly parts with her mouth!"

Lester winced. This is so not happening, he groaned to himself. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the exterior cameras repositioning themselves to get a front row seat.

"What are you doing here?" he demanded.

He spied the white Jesus mobile about half way down the block. Damn. He must have really been into that blow job to miss that thing.

"I came to try to win you back," she told him. "I believe you that nothing is going on with Stephanie. I saw her with her pimp at the book store. I tried to save their bastard children from the pits of hell. They will be judged at the altar of sin. I can still save you, Lester. Please come back to me!"

Stephanie had gone to sleep earlier while Ranger stayed up to finish some research. The phone rang as he prepared to join her in bed. Ranger pinched the bridge of his nose as Junior gave his report. He gently shook Stephanie awake after he hung up the phone.

"Babe…you're not gonna want to miss this."

Ranger pulled up the exterior feed on his laptop as Stephanie ran to the living room window.

"Xylia…," Lester began, "I told you. This isn't going to work. It's over."

"Don't say that. I love you, Lester. We can work this out. Look…."

She pulled a pamphlet from her handbag. From the cross on the cover, he knew already he didn't want to hear it.

"This is a bible class. You can take this course and learn more about Jesus," she suggested as she tried to get him to take the pamphlet from her hand.

Lester didn't have to turn around to know that the windows of the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th floors were filled with pairs of eyes. The building probably bent over like a question mark from the weight of the bodies that had converged on that side of the building. The Rangeman office would give the Leaning Tower of Pisa a run for its money.

"The agents of evil have been brain washing you. This class will help you see the light!"

"I'm not drinking that Kool-Aid, Xylia. This is getting ridiculous. I tried to be nice, but you didn't get it."

Xylia reached into her bag once more and retrieve that heinous Jesus head. Gripped in her right hand, she brandished it like a talisman warding off an evil spirit. Shit. It was uglier than he remembered. Between Xylia's pleading eyes, the ugly Jesus, and the weight of the Rangeman building, Lester's patience evaporated. The last thing he wanted to do was to be mean to her, but he had no choice. Anger replaced the guilt, and he exploded.

"_Fuck_ Jesus and _fuck_ you!" he shouted.

Xylia recoiled as if slapped. A twinge of guilt broke through the anger and almost made him reach for her to comfort her. He caught himself in time. Stand your ground, Santos, he warned himself.

"Don't you blaspheme, Lester Santos!" Xylia scolded.

"According to you…," Lester retorted as he pointed his finger in her face, "we're all going to hell anyway. So take your holy water, that ugly-ass Mr. T Jesus head, and your bible school and shove it up your ass!"

Without waiting for a reply or response…okay so he didn't want to see her cry…he barreled through the lobby doors and jogged towards the stairs. Zip locked the doors behind him with a smirk. Lester flipped him the bird before he disappeared into the stairwell. Once again, he didn't stop until he made it safely inside his apartment.

Lester flopped on to his couch with his face in his hands. He felt the building right itself as everyone went back to what they were doing before the ambush on the sidewalk. After rubbing his eyes, he looked ruefully at the wet spot on his crotch. What went wrong tonight? He went from getting amazing head to being attacked with a Jesus head….and holy water. His phone rang, pulling him out of his pity party.

"Hey Beautiful."

"Are you okay?"

One thing Lester would never do…let any woman get in the way of his friendship with Stephanie. The genuine concern in her voice oozed through the phone.

"I'll be all right. Did you enjoy the show?" Lester smirked.

"Uh…w-what show?" she stammered.

She needed to work on her fabrication delivery. He couldn't help but smile.

"Oh…did you mean that little scene out front? I might have heard something about it."

"Beautiful…you can sing the hell outta of a song, but you can't lie for shit."

He jumped at the knock at the door. Lester squinted into the peephole to see Stephanie biting her lower lip and holding a plate with chocolate cake. He swung the door open as he disconnected the call.

"Um…I thought you could use this. Chocolate cake always works for me," she sheepishly explained.

He stepped back to let her inside. As she handed him the plate, she frowned at the huge damp spot in his crotch.

"I didn't piss myself," Lester insisted. "It's holy water. Something about Satan blowing his trumpet on my manhood. I don't know, and I don't care. I wasn't really paying attention." He gave her a dismissive wave as he headed to the kitchen to get a fork. That chocolate cake looked better and better.

"That's the problem, Lester," Stephanie said. "You do care. I just wanted to make sure that you were all right. Did you want to be alone? I could leave…"

Lester grabbed her by the hand and led her to the couch. "How about you sit with me and help me eat this cake? Then I need to get to bed. You know our boss can be a Nazi about being late."

After sharing a few bites of Ella's magical goodness, Lester placed the fork on the plate and leaned back.

"I really didn't want to hurt her like that," he admitted. "She begged me to take her back and go to bible school. What if she doesn't get it through her thick skull that we don't belong together?"

Stephanie shrugged. "I don't know, but I'm sure we can get Lula to kick her Amish ass."

"Oh…the good news is that she finally believes that your bastard children aren't mine. She saw you with your pimp."

Stephanie snorted and began to cough up her chocolate cake. Lester slapped her between the shoulder blades.

"You all right?"

She nodded as her coughing spell subsided. "I was just picturing Carlos dressed like Huggy Bear from Starsky & Hutch. You know…with a big felt hat and red feather."

Both chuckled at the thought. They quickly finished off the cake before Lester walked Stephanie to the door.

"Thanks, Beautiful." He started to hug her tight but eased up when he felt her stomach poke him. Damn thing grew bigger every day. He rubbed her belly.

"Good night, Rangebabies."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "You better get some sleep. You're gonna need all the rest you can get for the meeting tomorrow morning," she joked.

"Aren't you going to tell the guys they can't bust my balls?"

"I won't be at the morning meeting," she admitted. "It pays to sleep with the Nazi-pimp boss, so I don't get in trouble for being late."

Shit.

Stephanie finally made an appearance on 5 at 10:30. She missed the roasting Lester had gotten from the guys about his stalker. At least someone else has a stalker for a change, Stephanie told herself.

Ranger had John chained to her cubicle to finish up his final exams. Valerie entered the shift reports into the database. Ram and Woody got stuck with monitor duty. Both of them looked as if they would rather be getting a root canal. She found Tank and Ranger reviewing a new catalog filled with the latest security gadgets.

Ranger glanced at his watch and raised one eyebrow. "Nice of you to join us, Babe."

"Morning, Bombshell." Tank grinned as he read her shirt. "Excuse me…Bio-Mom."

She rolled her eyes as she brushed past him and hopped onto Ranger's lap. "Anything interesting happen?"

Ranger shook his head. "Other than making fun of Lester…business as usual. How about you? Thinking about working today?"

She shrugged. "I don't know. Do you have something I can do?"

"Sounds like a loaded question," Tank muttered.

Ranger reached around her and slid a file towards her. "I have these body receipts that need to be dropped off, and Connie has a couple of checks ready. I figured you could handle this…and maybe let John tag along."

Stephanie smiled as she nodded.

"I think he's just about finished with his test. I'm sure he could use a break," Ranger explained.

"You know me," she agreed. "Always a team player. If you need someone to take John to lunch, I'm your girl."

Valerie buzzed Ranger on the intercom. "Jorge Velardo is on line one."

"Thank you," he replied.

He looked up at an expectant Stephanie and Tank.

"I used him to overhaul this building. I want to talk to him about renovations to the 6th and 7th floors," he explained. "We need to add room for the twins, and I'm adding another apartment to the 6th floor."

Tank frowned. "For who?"

"You," Ranger answered curtly before talking his call.

Stephanie and Tank exchanged confused looks. Ranger made an appointment for the man to come to evaluate the space later in the week.

"I already talked to Stephanie about converting the storage space on 7 into rooms for the twins. The 6th floor has that same space. I think my second in command deserves a better apartment than that little breadbox on 4. We have plenty of extra offices on the 2nd floor that we don't use. We can use that for storage."

"You ain't gonna get an argument from me," Tank joked. "Thank you. All kidding aside, I appreciate it. It's amazing how small a space can get when it's not just you anymore."

"So who's going to get Tank's apartment?" Stephanie asked.

Tank had the largest apartment on the 4th floor. It had its own bedroom and a den of sorts due to an alcove off the main room. The kitchen and living area were the same as the rest but had a larger bathroom and extra closet. The layout of the 4th floor elevator bay and stairwell gave that corner apartment the extra square footage. Because Ranger wanted an open area to be used as a shared recreational area, it didn't leave much space for another apartment. With the unfinished areas on the 6th and 7th floors, it left room to grow. Everyone would want Tank's place.

"We have plenty of time to decide. Bobby and Lester have seniority. It would probably be between those 2," Ranger suggested.

"So what are you going to have done for the twins?" Stephanie prodded.

Ranger raised his hands palms up. "Jorge's going to check out the space and let us know what our options are."

"What about me?" Tank jumped in.

Ranger smirked. "It will probably be similar to the Guzman's apartment."

"Are you really going to stay on 7 after the twins are born? I thought you would want to get a house." Tank leaned back in his chair.

"The apartment will be fine for now. After the wedding and the twins are born, we'll talk about a house then," Ranger told him.

"But we won't have Ella if we get a house," Stephanie whined.

She had gotten used to being spoiled rotten. Ella cooked and cleaned for them. Not only did she cater to their every need, Ella had become a mother figure for Stephanie. And a very good friend and confidant. She would need Ella more than ever after the twins were born.

John knocked on the door. Ranger nodded for him to enter.

"I finished." He held out the answer sheet.

The school provided all of John's assignments. The principle Fed-X'd John's finals with the Scan-Tron answer sheets. Ranger agreed to monitor the tests and overnight them to her by the end of the week. Two of his classes required term papers which John already submitted. He completed two of his four finals on Friday. Now he only had one more to go.

Ranger slipped the answer sheet into a golden envelope. "Stephanie's going to take you to lunch. Then you can take the last exam when you get back."

"Great!" John exclaimed as he pumped his fist. "I need to get out for a while."

"Well if the DNA results prove that Bombshell was chauffeuring Jimmy Hoffa all over Trenton, we'll be on lock down. Enjoy it while you can," Tank teased.

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Let's not talk about Jimmy Hoffa. We all _know_ it was him in the trunk. And if it's not Jimmy Hoffa, it will turn out to be Amelia Earhart, or DB Cooper, or Elvis, or like someone else that disappeared in the Bermuda Triangle, or the missing alien body from the Roswell crash site. The more I think about it, Jimmy Hoffa would be the least of my worries."

She kissed Ranger before rising from his lap. "Come on, John. We'll take these body receipts to the Bond's office. Then we'll go to Pino's for lunch."

Ranger turned to Tank after they left. "She's right. I was hoping it would be a John Doe, but this is Stephanie we're talking about. If it's not Hoffa, it's probably worse."

Tank chuckled. "Like Elvis?"

Ranger smirked. "No…the alien body."


	27. Chapter 27

**A/N:** I've been on a roll and am almost finished. So I decided to post the next chapter a little early. Remember…I told you it's going to start getting a little crazy.

**Chapter 27**

"Hey, White Girl! John." Lula greeted them as they entered the Bond's office. "Look…I got me one of them new iPhones at the Verizon store today."

Stephanie handed Connie the body receipts.

"She's been playing with that thing all morning," Connie groaned.

"I been tweetin' all morning," Lula rambled on. "It's got a shitload of apps. There's like an app for everything. But I can't find one for porn. Hey John…you're the computer geek…can you help me?"

"Lula!" Stephanie scolded as she pulled John back. "He's a _minor_! You don't ask a child to help you find porn!"

Lula's hands flew to her hips as her head started to bob and weave. She smacked her lips. "I ain't askin' him to find _child_ porn…I want the adult kind. Nekkid people over 18 havin' sex is totally legal."

Stephanie glanced at John who could barely contain his smile. In a lot of ways, John resembled his father. But he had been blessed with that amazing Manoso smile. Just Like Ranger.

"I hate to tell you this, but Apple doesn't allow porn apps," John explained. "They're pretty particular about what they allow and keep tight control of their specifications. If you wanted something with a more open platform, you should have gotten an Android phone." He pulled out his Droid to show her.

Lula's phone chirped. She glanced at the display and smacked her lips again. "Egregious. You God damn right," she muttered. "Not allowin' porn is egregious.

Looking up at the confused expressions, she shrugged her shoulders. "I got the _Word of the Day_ app. It tweets you a new word every day. Then you 'spose to use it all day to help increase yo' vocab'alary. I want to do good in school and sound classy at the same time. Egregious is the word of the day. That means fucked up."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Egregious doesn't mean fucked up. Let me see that." She snatched the phone out of Lula's hand and read the screen.

"Egregious means…outstandingly bad, flagrant, glaring," John told her. "It was on one of my tests. So she's not _exactly_ wrong."

"Does that phone have a _Shut Your Trap_ app and _Go Get Your Skip_ app?" Vinnie's voice echoed from the intercom on Connie's desk.

"No," Lula retorted. "But I think there is a _Fuck a Duck_ app!"

"Steph…why don't you go with Lula to pick up Regina Fagoli?" Connie suggested.

"Yeah, White Girl," Lula begged. "She's an easy one. Then we can go to Pino's for lunch."

Stephanie bit her lower lip. Her stomach hadn't made its presence known yet, but that wasn't the problem. John was only seventeen. They could get in trouble for bringing a minor along. Well…she could get in trouble with Ranger for bringing John along.

"I don't think that's such a good idea, Lula. John's only 17…" Stephanie began.

"Please, Aunt Stephanie?" John pleaded. "I won't get in the way. I promise. I just want to watch."

Stephanie rubbed her temples. "What were the charges?"

"Disturbin' the peace. She got into a fight with her boyfriend at Walmart and started karate choppin' the watermelons," Lula explained. "She ain't never been arrested before. Come on…it ain't gonna be that bad. We'll be in and outta there in no time."

Stephanie never excelled in discipline the way Ranger did. Ranger's motto was _No Pain…No Gain_. Stephanie's? _No Pain…No Pain_. The pleading eyes along with that Manoso smile made it virtually impossible for her to say no. It didn't take long for her to cave. Besides…the longer she dragged out her decision to give in, the longer it would be before she could eat.

"Okay, but _don't_ get involved and _stay_ behind me and Lula," Stephanie warned. And don't mention it to your uncle, she said to herself.

"Yes!" John hissed and pumped his fist. "I won't say nothing to Uncle Carlos either."

"Shit," Stephanie hissed. "Did I say that out loud?"

The three of them nodded.

"Damn…I really gotta work on that," Stephanie muttered under her breath.

"I know you been goin' around with all your uncle's men, but now you gonna see some real bounty hunters in action," Lula told him. "I'll drive."

Regina Fagoli lived across town on the right side of a duplex. The file listed her as a thirty year old with no priors. Stephanie never heard of her, so she assumed that Regina wasn't a Trenton native. The photo revealed a stocky, unattractive woman, with long and stringy hair. The buck teeth and acne didn't enhance her looks either.

"So what did her boyfriend do that got her mad enough to attack fruit?" Stephanie wondered aloud.

Lula shrugged as she glided to a stop at the curb in front of Fagoli's house. "All I know is that if my Tankie committed some egregious behavior…I'd be karate choppin' more than his watermelons. I'd be filletin' his zucchini!"

"Let's make this quick," Stephanie told her. "We're getting hungry." She ran a hand over her belly.

"Damn," Lula exclaimed. "Yo' stomach wasn't that big the other day."

Stephanie shifted in her seat as she unhooked her seatbelt and readjusted the hem of her shirt. "I know I'm fat. You don't have to point it out."

"I didn't say you was fat," Lula insisted. "I couldn't see yo' stomach stickin' out like that before. Is Batman takin' care of business? You seem really bitchy today."

Stephanie hooked her thumb towards John. "Let's remember we have _a young_ _guest_ with us today. And _yes_ he's taking care of business. We're hungry, so let's get this over with."

The trio shuffled up to the door. Before Lula could knock, Stephanie turned to John.

"Stay behind us, and don't get involved," she instructed.

John nodded. "I promise. This is gonna be great."

Lula banged on the door with the heel of her closed fist. It only took a few seconds for Regina to answer.

"Jesus," she hissed. "I thought you were going to come through the damn door. What the hell do you want?"

"You skipped yo' court date. I gotta take you down town," Lula told her firmly, straightening her back to show authority.

She turned to John. "See? You gotta put them in their place right away. Let them know you mean business. You don't take no shit from these low-lifes."

"Lula…maybe you should just handle things your normal way," Stephanie suggested when she saw Regina's scowl. They didn't need any trouble with John there.

Regina had come to the door dressed in gray yoga pants with various stains, a well-worn George Michael tee-shirt, and bare feet. Her greasy hair had been pulled back into a sloppy ponytail. She stepped back to allow them inside, but the tension could be cut with a knife. Stephanie felt the need to defuse the situation.

"This is really just a formality, Regina," she assured her. "We'll just take you down to the station, and you can get bonded out again."

Regina shook her head. "This is bullshit! Arnie is screwing around with some cashier _slut_ that he works with at Walmart, and _I'm_ the one that gets arrested? _Fuck_ that. And _fuck_ you. I'm not going anywhere with you assholes. No one is taking me _down town_. I know karate."

She stepped back and began to swing her arms and kick her legs in some odd, kata routine while making weird _hi-yah_, _whaa_, and _cat-like screech_ noises.

Lula smacked her lips. "Yeah…well I know _Smith_ & _Wesson_. And I'm gonna pop a cap in yo' ass."

She reached into her shoulder bag and fished around for her gun. She looked up with eyes wide.

"Damn, I must've left it in the glove box."

Regina threw her head back and laughed. "Get ready for me to kick your ass, bitches! I'm a black belt, and I know at least 6 different ways to kill you with my bare feet!"

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Well…luckily for everyone…I know _Taser_."

She pulled out her little C2 and aimed it at the Karate Kid. PZZT! The wires shot across the room with lightening speed and hit Regina in the chest. She fell like a stone as she convulsed on the floor. Stephanie released the trigger, and Regina stilled.

"Whoa," John breathed. "That was cool."

Stephanie and Lula leaned over to examine Regina.

"Damn…those are some ugly-ass feet, too. She was fuckin' right about killin' people with her feet. They're killin' me from here," Lula said with a curled lip.

"Her feet are most egregious," John added.

"You all right, John," Lula told him as she slung her arm over his shoulders. "You can hang with me any day. See what happens to low class people?"

"You mean…_no_ class," Stephanie agreed. "If you want to get arrested for disturbing the peace…you go somewhere nice. Like Macys or something….not _Walmart_. And how does one disturb the peace at _Walmart_? It's _Walmart_ for God's sake! Have you seen the people that shop there?"

John smirked. "There's a whole app dedicated to pictures of Walmart shoppers. I'll show you."

Lula sniffed the air and glanced down. "Oh shit…she done pissed herself!"

Stephanie's bladder reminded her that it also needed attention. "Well if I don't find a bathroom soon…I'm going to piss _myself_."

Lula frowned. "Damn…I don't want to get no _bitch pee_ all over my fine leather seats. It'll cost me more to clean my car!"

"What is the bond?" Stephanie asked her.

"500."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Look…I'll _give_ you the $50. I'm going to use her bathroom then let's go to lunch. We're hungry!"

Lula pursed her lips as she thought it over. "You gotta deal. Vinnie can kiss my ass for this bond. He better start learnin' to be more discriminatin' with who he bails out and shit. His business ethic is fuckin' egregious."

Stephanie spied the bathroom after a quick scan of the layout. "How many times did that app say to use that word each day?"

"7. Saying something 7 times is 'spose to help you remember shit," Lula explained.

"Good," she replied as she opened the bathroom door. "I think we've hit our limit for the day."

Pino's was hopping with the busy lunch crowd. The parking lot only had a few empty spaces. Normally, Stephanie didn't mind waiting, but her stomach roared to life on the drive there.

"Figures," she muttered. "We are never going to get to eat. It's egregious to starve a pregnant woman."

Stephanie smacked the heel of her hand to her forehead when she realized what she had said. Lula and John chuckled.

"You keep hangin' out with me, and you gonna pick up a whole new language," Lula joked as she pulled into an open space.

Just like the parking lot, there weren't many tables available either. Lula scanned to room and caught Morelli's wave from the corner booth.

"There…Morelli saved us a seat," Lula announced and pulled Stephanie and John towards the back.

"I'm waiting on Annemarie," he explained. "She'll be here any minute, but you can join us. It's a mad house here today."

"The parking situation was egregious," John added with a laugh.

Morelli smirked. "Overloaded with finals?"

Lula shoved her new iPhone in Morelli's face. "No…it's the _Word of the Day_ app. Instead of sayin' _fucked up_…you can say _egregious_. From now on, Lula's gonna sound real classy. People be thinkin' I went to Harvard or somethin' like them high-class rich folk. Now if I can only find me a way to get some porn apps."

Morelli choked on his soda while Stephanie giggled. After clearing his throat, he turned to John. "So…how are things going? I hear you want to go to MIT."

John nodded. "Uncle Carlos is really making me hit the books, but it will be worth it if I get in."

"You'll get in, John. You're very smart. Hector is really impressed with your knowledge of computers," Stephanie insisted. "John is a _total _computer wiz. He's been doing some installations for Rangeman. That will look good on his application."

"And he just went on his first bounty hunt," Lula added. "You should've seen White Girl. It was like Indiana Jones with that Arab guy swingin' all those knives around. Remember that part? You think Indy is in deep shit and all, but he pulls out his gun and shoots that mother fucker's ass. Except we had this karate bitch, and she starts doin' this."

Lula jumped from her seat and started imitating Regina like a bad, English-dubbed, martial arts movie. In her attempt to copy the crane position, Lula _'whaaahed'_ a bit too loud. She scared the same waitress who dropped her tray last time because of the Bigfoot mating call. When she tried to recreate the kick part, her foot upended the tray of food that had been placed beside the next table. Spaghetti and meatballs rained down on the customers.

Oblivious to the carnage, Lula continued her story. "Then…White Girl pulls out her Taser and zaps the ever-lovin' shit outta that bitch with the egregious feet."

She slid back into her seat next to John. Morelli dropped his face into his hands. John wiped the tears from his eyes as he continued to shake with laughter.

"Cupcake…_please_ tell me you don't have a Taser on you?" he begged. "It's _illegal_ to carry those in Jersey."

Stephanie shrugged. "Okay…I won't tell you then."

Something caught his eye, and he quickly sombered. Stephanie followed his gaze to see Annemarie making her way to their table. The furrowed brow and tight lips made Stephanie a little uneasy. Was she expecting lunch for two, Stephanie mused, and got lunch for five…well seven?

Morelli must have felt her discomfort. "I asked her to lunch because she's having a bad day. I don't think this _zoo_ atmosphere is what she expected."

"Sorry I'm late," she replied, slightly out of breath. She kissed Morelli as she slid into the booth.

"Hi Annemarie," Stephanie greeted. "This is Carlos' nephew, John. You remember Lula."

Annemarie gave them a curt nod. Her phone rang, and she excused herself to take the call. "Order the usual if the waitress comes before I get back."

They watched her as she hurried out to the sidewalk. Before Stephanie could ask him what was going on, the waitress appeared to take their order. Annemarie didn't return until the waitress brought their food.

"Is everything okay, Annemarie?" Stephanie asked her.

Annemarie huffed. "I'm just having one of those days where nothing is going the way I planned it. You _think_ you can count on someone only to find out that you can't. And people wonder why I can be controlling?"

Stephanie caught the angry look Morelli shot Annemarie's way. She decided not to touch that comment with a ten foot pole.

"I know what you mean," Lula jumped in. "Vinnie gets on my ass all the time about the filin' when he knows I ain't gonna do that shit no more. He might as well do it hisself 'cause I'm a bounty hunter now."

"Why don't we change the subject?" Morelli offered. He turned to Stephanie. "You were fantastic Saturday night, Cupcake. I think you missed your calling."

"Yes," Annemarie agreed. "We really enjoyed hearing you sing with that band. You have such a beautiful voice."

The conversation turned to John and his MIT aspirations, Lula and her porn apps, and finally Morelli taking the test for the FBI academy next week. Annemarie excused herself to make another call.

"Damn, are all your parts not workin', Joe? That girl looks pissed at you," Lula asked bluntly.

"Lula!" Stephanie hissed. "That's none of our business."

Morelli shrugged. "I don't think she wants me to go to the Academy. I told her I was thinking of getting someone to house-sit for me, and we had a fight about it."

"What are you going to do? You've wanted to be FBI for as long as I've known you," Stephanie told him softly. "You're not going to give that up, are you?"

Morelli smirked. "_Hell _no. She wanted to work with the court system and be a social worker, and she's doing it. I'm not telling her she has to quit her job. We haven't been together long enough for her to tell me what to do. I want her to stick around and support me. But if she can't, that's her problem."

"I like Annemarie. I think she's good for you. I'm sure she'll come around," Stephanie reassured him as she squeezed his hand.

Seeing Annemarie on her way back, Stephanie changed the subject back to Lula's new iPhone. John showed her how to jailbreak it and found her porn apps. Annemarie's mood finally seemed to lighten. Her issues were with Morelli, and Stephanie planned to keep it that way.

The time had flown by. Stephanie didn't even realize a few hours had passed until Ranger called. He reminded her that John still had one more final to take. She promised that they would be on their way home.

"We have to go," she told them. "John has another final to take this afternoon, and it's almost 2."

She grabbed the check before Morelli could.

"Hey!" he exclaimed.

"You paid last time. I'll take care of this one," Stephanie insisted.

"Damn, look at this guy's dick!" Lula cried out. "It's all bent to the side and has a tattoo!"

"Lula," Stephanie warned. "There are kids here. Watch your…._oh my God_! Is that real? It looks like it's making a left turn!"

Morelli shuddered. "I think it's time to go. Please put that thing away."

"I bet this guy can't ride a bike," Lula added as she reexamined the photo. "It would probably get caught in the spokes or somethin'."

Annemarie got up to let Morelli and Stephanie out of the booth. Lula slung her arm around John.

"You all right, kid. Thanks for hookin' a sista up. I still can't believe Apple don't let their payin' customers have porn. It's egregious!"

Morelli followed Stephanie to the register with Annemarie not far behind. Lula and John brought up the rear.

"So…have you heard anything about when the DNA tests come back?" Stephanie asked as she handed the cashier money with the receipt.

Morelli shrugged. "All we know is that the results should be in some time this week. They didn't give us a specific date. Why? Are you nervous about the results?"

Stephanie nodded. "It's bad enough that the reporters will be following me around. But what if the mob comes after me? What if they think they're going to get caught now because of me?"

Outside Pino's, a popping sound, like someone had lit firecrackers, halted every conversation in the restaurant. A second later, the windows exploded as rounds from a machine gun shattered the glass. All hell broke loose.

Stephanie lurched forward to get to John, but Morelli tackled her to the ground. She felt a burning pain slice the side of her head before they hit the hard floor. The back of her head exploded, and she sank into darkness.


	28. Chapter 28

**Chapter 28**

The gun fire ended as abruptly as it began. It was as if time stood briefly still. The eerie silence broke with screams, excited chatter, and cries from the victims. Pino announced that he called 911 and help was on the way.

"Joe!" Annemarie cried as she crawled over to him. "Oh my God!"

Morelli couldn't answer her. The pain in his chest restricted his lungs. He knew he took a bullet, but it slowly began to dawn on him how bad. Stephanie lay under him, unmoving.

"Cupcake," he croaked. It seemed to take a lot more energy to speak.

"Joe…you're bleeding!" Annemarie whispered. "Help is on the way."

He didn't give a shit about his own condition. He lacked the strength to pull himself up, so he rolled to his side. The move seemed to help his breathing a little. His breath caught when he set eyes on the blood oozing from Stephanie's temple.

"No…" he cried out but coughing took over. He felt a hand on his shoulder.

"Jesus!" Carl muttered as he grabbed his radio. "Officer down. Multiple victims. We need back up and get those ambulances here now!"

"Steph," Morelli gurgled.

"She's breathing," Big Dog told him after he gave her a quick once-over. "It looks like it just nicked her."

"God Damn!" Lula screamed. "Those mother fuckers! They shot me in the ass! Who the fuck shoots a lady in the ass?"

Before the back up could arrive, reporters swarmed the scene. Taking pictures of the carnage and unsuspecting victims, they recklessly contaminated the crime scene.

"Holy shit! It's the Bombshell Bounty Hunter! And she's pregnant too!" one of them exclaimed as he snapped pictures of her unmoving form. "Is she dead? How far along is she?"

Big Dog had enough. He grabbed the reporter by the back of the neck and frog-marched him to the door. Eddie Gazarra arrived just in time to ensure his removal from the scene.

Thinking Lula would be okay, John crawled over towards the cash register to try to find Stephanie. Before he could get close, the first ambulance crew arrived and immediately began to work on Morelli. He looked bad. His ashen face and huge blood stain on his light gray shirt made him look like a character from a zombie movie. He spied Stephanie on the other side of him, and she wasn't moving. Tears began to burn his eyes.

Lula found her bag and rummaged around until she located her iPhone. She placed a call to Tank who told her they were on the way. She whined about her ass but told him that John was okay. She didn't know about Stephanie.

John finally reached Stephanie as her phone rang. He knew it would be his uncle, so he answered it. The second and third ambulance crews arrived. A paramedic knelt by her side.

"Babe? Are you all right?"

"U-uncle Carlos?" John answered in a shaky voice. "Aunt Stephanie's hurt. I…"

Eddie grabbed the phone. "Ranger? It's Gazarra. A paramedic is with her now. He thinks a bullet just grazed her."

Eddie looked to the paramedic for confirmation.

"Yeah…looks like she has a lac by her temple. Here…" He turned to John. "Hold this in place for me. She's got a good sized goose egg on the back of her head. She's going to be fine."

"Did you hear that?" Eddie asked.

"Affirmative. We're on site. Be right there."

John shook as he held the bandage in place. "Aunt Stephanie? Can you hear me? Uncle Carlos will be here any second."

Stephanie groaned slightly as she began to stir.

"Is she coming around, John?" Morelli forced out as the paramedics finished placing their IVs and preparing to load him for transport.

"I think so. Are you okay?" John sniffled.

"Just take care of her," Morelli whispered before slipping into unconsciousness.

"Shit," the paramedic swore. "Gotta move. He's crashing."

They swiftly transferred him to the stretcher and headed out the door with Annemarie behind them.

Ranger and Tank witnessed them load Morelli into the closest ambulance. He didn't look good at all. He needed to get to Stephanie. His heart sank when John answered her phone. All the worst case scenarios ran through his head. Nothing else mattered right now except getting to Stephanie.

Stephanie felt like her eyelids had been cemented shut. Her head throbbed worse than any hangover she remembered.

"Aunt Stephanie?"

As she slowly emerged from the fog, the kaleidoscope-like images flashed through her brain. Someone shooting! Oh my God! John!

As she forced her eyes open, the bright light seemed to sear her brain. She squeezed them shut again. "John?"

"I'm right here. I'm okay…."

Ranger knelt beside them as Tank hurried over to Lula. He took over holding the bandage.

"Babe?" His eyes scanned the rest of her body for any other injuries. He ran a hand over her belly as if to reassure himself that the twins were okay. Her shirt felt damp and sticky. Blood stained his hand. He jerked up the hem of her shirt to find the source.

Big Dog knelt on the other side of Stephanie. He grabbed Ranger's wrist and mouthed '_Morelli's_'.

"Carlos?" Stephanie groaned.

"I'm right here, Babe. You're going to be all right," he soothed as he took her hand.

He quickly gave John the once-over.

"I'm okay, Uncle Carlos. Lula pushed me out of the way. She got shot in the ass," John explained as he wiped the tears away with the back of his hand. He smeared blood on his cheek in the process.

"Where's Joe? Is he okay?" Stephanie asked as she tried to sit up. Before Ranger had a chance to argue, the room started to spin. She dropped back down. Groaning, she rubbed the back of her head.

The paramedic returned after doing a quick triage of the wounded. "I'm going to place this cervical collar on you. From what witnesses told me, that police officer pushed you out of the line of fire. You've got a pretty good bump on the back of your head, so I can't rule out any neck injury just yet," he explained as he slid the back of the collar under her neck.

"Where is Joe?" Stephanie asked again. She got the feeling they avoided giving her an answer. "What happened to Joe?"

Ranger struggled with what to tell her. Either way, she would go ballistic. Her anxiety level worsened when she didn't know. He had to tell her. Unfortunately, his hesitation gave him away.

"How bad?" she demanded.

"I don't know. He's probably in the ER by now. All I know is that he took a bad hit, Babe."

Tears flowed freely as she started to cry. "Is he gonna be all right?"

"He's a fighter. I don't think he's going to give up that easy." Ranger tried to reassure her.

The paramedic fastened the collar around her neck. He replaced the blood-soaked gauze with a fresh ABD pad before wrapping her head with Kling gauze.

"We're gonna get you loaded in just a minute," he told her as he pat her shoulder. "Your friend has 2 of Trenton's best paramedics taking care of him. He's in good hands. You'll be seein' him real soon."

"Oh no you _ain't_!" Lula's voice rose over the din. "You ain't cuttin' off these pants and pullin' my _ass _outto show all these mother fuckers. We in the middle of a pizza joint! This ain't _no _strip club. Do you see nekkid, big titty women swingin' from a pole anywhere?"

"Lula Baby…they are just trying to help. They need to treat your wound. You were shot. This is serious." Tank could be heard trying to reason with her.

"You _don't_ have to remind me that I got shot. There is a fuckin' bullet in my _ass_ remindin' me I got shot. They can't do nothin' anyway. Just take me and my ass to the hospital. Them doctors will pull that bullet outta my ass for me!" Lula insisted.

Even though her stomach knotted with worry about Morelli, Stephanie couldn't help but snort listening to Lula's rant. John must have also read her mind.

"Her behavior is most egregious," he told her.

"I must have missed something," Ranger muttered as he noticed John and Stephanie exchange smiles.

As the paramedics lifted Stephanie onto their stretcher, Ranger called Bobby.

"Steph and John all right?" Bobby bombarded him with questions. "We can't get through. What do you want us to do?"

"Grab our truck and bring it to St. Francis. They're taking Stephanie now. Tank will go with Lula. John is with me," Ranger instructed.

"What are their injuries?"

"John is fine. Stephanie was grazed but hit her head when Morelli knocked her out of the way. Butt shot for Lula. I think Morelli took a hit in the chest. It's bad. We'll see you there." Ranger quickly disconnected then led John to the ambulance.

St. Francis ER bustled with activity as the EMS crew rolled Stephanie through. A nurse pointed to an empty curtain on the end. She spied a very distraught Annemarie being comforted by the Chaplin.

"Annemarie?" She called to her. "Is Joe all right?"

The crew didn't wait for an answer as they pushed her to her assigned bed. Ranger directed John to follow Stephanie.

"They rushed him to the OR," she sniffled. "They're not sure if the bullet hit his heart, but one of his lungs collapsed. They put in a breathing tube and a tube in his chest. He's really bad. They don't know if he's going to make it."

She threw her arms around Ranger and sobbed. Shit, it was worse than he thought. He wanted to be with Stephanie but felt guilty about leaving Annemarie alone.

"Have you called his family?" he asked her.

She shook her head. "I was going to but this chaplain said she would. She said she knows Joe's mother."

"Wait!" He heard John call out. "I don't think you're supposed to get up yet."

Sure enough, he turned to see Stephanie stumbling through the curtain. Two nurses got to her before Ranger could.

"What's wrong with Joe?" she demanded.

"Ma'am…you need to lay back down until the doctor sees you," the nurse told her.

Ranger knew she wouldn't comply, so he scooped her up and placed her back on the stretcher.

"He's in surgery," Ranger answered. "He was shot in the chest and has a collapsed lung."

"Oh my God." Stephanie started to cry again. Her head felt like it might explode at any minute, but she couldn't stop. Even being wrapped in Ranger's strong arms didn't help. Morelli fought for his life a few floors above them because he got in the way of a bullet meant for her.

"Don't blame yourself, Stephanie," Ranger whispered as he wiped away her tears. "It's the gunmen's fault. No one else's. The doctors are taking care of Joe. You need to take care of the twins. So that means that you need to calm down. Please, Babe."

She felt a twinge of nausea when she first stood up, but her stomach really began to churn. She knew that her lunch would be making a reappearance very soon. It must have been written all over her face because Ranger told John to hand him the garbage can. Before she could say another word, Stephanie leaned over and hurled into the trash.

Luckily, a doctor appeared to exam her. After a quick neurologic exam, he felt it would be safe to administer Phenergan and remove her cervical collar. He called to a nurse to get the medication and an ice pack for her head.

"I think we can use the Dermabond for that laceration," he told them. "You're lucky. Any deeper, and it might have nicked your temporal artery. How bad is your pain? We can give you something for your headache."

She looked to Ranger with eyes wide. The Phenergan would knock her out. She wanted to be awake to hear updates about Morelli. Stephanie felt her stomach pushing at the back of her throat, so she needed the Phenergan. She hated throwing up.

"I'll be right here," Ranger soothed. "Take something for the pain and get some rest. I'll wake you up as soon as I hear something. The fact that he's still in surgery is a good sign."

As usual, Ranger always knew the right things to say to calm her down. That made sense. If the surgeons were still working on Morelli, that meant he was still alive. But could she even take anything? Would pain medications hurt the twins? Stephanie absently rubbed her belly.

"How about we give you some Tylenol #3?" The doctor told her after he must have noticed her hesitation. "It's safe to use during all stages of pregnancy."

The nurse returned and started an IV. She administered the Phenergan. She left to get the pain medication and returned quickly. She handed Stephanie two pills and juice. She punched the ice pack, shook it, then placed it behind her head.

"Wow," she exclaimed. "You've really got some goose egg back there. Why don't you lay on your left side? This will take the pressure off that swelling, and the doctor will be able to take care of your wound soon."

The nurse helped Stephanie get into a comfortable position. Ranger stayed by her side until she drifted off. She fought it the whole way, but the medications finally won. He needed to get organized. If Stephanie remained awake and upset, she would have been his priority. He needed to get his family secured until he could find out who was responsible for the hit.

Lester and Bobby snuck into the back. The ER had been placed on lock down while the victims arrived and were assessed. Perfect timing.

"Brown," Ranger barked. "Stay with Stephanie. Santos…you watch John. I'll get you up to speed in a minute."

The ambulance crew with Lula rolled in with Tank by her side. Good, Ranger thought. He could update Tank, and get things into place. He had a ton of calls to make. He needed to get his family moved, call Stephanie's parents, update the staff back at Rangeman, and get a handle on this shooting.

Lula grabbed a young resident, who just came on shift, as she rolled passed him.

"You gotta help me, Doc!" she groaned. "I got shot in the ass. My ass is on fire. You gotta give me somethin' for the pain. It's hurtin' real bad!"

The doctor's face grimaced from the vice-like grip Lula had on his arm. He pried her fingers loose and pulled his arm back. While rubbing his arm, he cocked his head to the open curtain next to Stephanie. The crew wheeled her in there and transferred her to the ER stretcher.

"The nurse will be right with you," the doctor explained. "I'll be back in a few minutes to check you over."

The doctor leaned over the desk to find an available nurse. "Can I get you to take care of the pain in the ass?"

The young nurse frowned at the doctor's joke. Smirking, he turned around and slammed into a black wall. He tilted his head back to look into the face of a very angry Tank.

"That _pain in the ass_ is my woman. You can call her Miss Jones," Tank told him in a deep and threatening tone. "She needs medical attention now."

The resident paled and began to shake. If Ranger didn't intervene now, this kid would have probably shit his pants. The busy ER couldn't afford to be down a doctor right now.

"Tank," Ranger said. "Let him do his job now. We can kick his ass later."

"When you address my woman," Tank warned as he stuck a finger in his face, "you will do so with respect. Am I clear?"

"Y-y-es sir!" he squeaked.

"You tell 'um, Tankie," Lula agreed. "Now get over here, and look at my ass!"

"I know you want to stay with Lula," Ranger told him as he pulled Tank aside. "I need you to keep an eye on everything here. I need to get my family secured, and make a few other calls. Santos and Brown are with Stephanie and John. I'm gonna want security on Morelli when he comes out of surgery."

"How bad?"

Ranger pursed his lips. "Bad. But no news is good news right now."

"Do you think this was a hit on John?"

Ranger shrugged. "Anything's possible. That's why I want everyone locked down until we can figure it out."

"Can I make some calls for you?" Tank offered.

Ranger thought for a minute. "Yeah…I'll take care of my family and call Frank. Call Haywood and update them. Oh…have Hal take Valerie to pick up her girls."

Tank nodded as he pulled out his phone. "How's Bombshell?"

"Sleeping. She got herself so upset over Morelli that she began throwing up. They gave her some Phenergan and something for her headache. I'll check back with you in 15."

Ranger made the first call to the team watching his family. He ordered them to pick everyone up and bring them to the Rangeman building. He suspected that Stephanie would be kept for observation due to her loss of consciousness, so both would be staying at the hospital that evening. His parents and Celia could stay on 7, and the boys could be put on the pull out couch in John's studio.

Next, he called his father. His men showed up while they spoke. He quickly filled Raoul in about the shooting.

"I'll call Celia," Raoul promised. "I'll call you when we get there. Just take care of Stephanie and John."

"I will, Dad. See you, soon."

Frank had already heard about the shooting via the Burg grapevine. It had also made the rounds on the TV news stations. Ranger gave him the run down on the situation.

"Carlos, I don't want to get in the way. I know you have your hands full right now. Why don't you have Hal bring Valerie and the girls here? That way we're all in one place until we know what's going on," Frank insisted.

"That sounds good," Ranger agreed. "I'll call you in a little while when we know something more about Morelli."

Frank let out a sigh. "I never thought I'd see the day that I was grateful to have Morelli around my daughter. Is Angie Morelli there yet?"

"I haven't seen her yet. We'll keep an eye on her, too," Ranger told him. He owed Morelli big time for possibly saving Stephanie's life. The least he could do was make sure his mother was looked after.

"I'll have Stephanie call you when she wakes up." Ranger disconnected and went back to check on Stephanie.

She would be grateful for being placed on her side. If she found out that the entire ER heard her sawing a log, she's never leave the 7th floor again. A nurse had just finished cleaning up her wound and prepared for the doctor to close it with the Dermabond.

"Okay…what's the plan?" Lester asked him.

"I'm sure we'll be here overnight. Stephanie won't leave until she's able to see Morelli anyway. He's in surgery. Chest wound. Collapsed lung. She's lucky. She's getting that glue stuff and has a mild concussion. Lula took a shot in the ass."

Bobby looked away to hide his smile.

Lester snorted. "It's not like they could miss it," he muttered.

Lester felt something that seemed like King Kong's hand squeeze the back of his neck.

"What did you say?" Tank boomed into his ear.

"Uh…I said…um…I hope they can fix it," Lester blurted out quickly.

"Santos…I want you to take John back to Haywood," Ranger ordered.

John, who had been sitting quietly by Stephanie's side, jumped up. "I want to stay here. Please? At least until we know that Joe will be okay?"

Ranger put an arm around his shoulders and pulled him close. "Sorry, John. This isn't a punishment. We have a situation, and I have to lock things down. I've got my men bringing your mother, brothers, and Grandma and Grandpa to Haywood. I need to you be with them right now. I promise to call you as soon as we know anything. Your mother would kill me if I let anything happen to you."

John's face fell, but he nodded. Ranger almost wanted to smack himself. This was the second time this kid witnessed a shooting. It had to be traumatic for him.

"Hey…how are you doing?" he whispered.

John shrugged. "I really didn't _see_ anything happen. I just heard it because Lula jumped on me. But I was plenty scared."

"I'm proud of the way you handled yourself, John. You kept your head. It's normal to be scared. We all get scared," Ranger told him.

"Even you? You get scared, Uncle Carlos?"

Ranger nodded. "Even me."

"Me, too," Tank chimed in. "But you have to learn to say the right prayer before going into battle."

"Tank…," Ranger cautioned.

"What prayer?" John asked.

"Yea though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death…I will fear no evil. 'Cause I'm the biggest and baddest mother fucker in the valley!" Tank and Lester chanted.

Ranger glared at them while John tried not to laugh.

"Can I come back after taking John home?" Lester wondered.

Ranger nodded. "Bring Ram and Woody after the contract workers have checked in. I want to make sure this place is secure tonight. And have Ella put together an overnight bag for Stephanie with some comfortable, clean clothes."

Lester gave him a quick salute. "Come on, John."

Ranger stood between the curtains of Stephanie's bed and Lula's. Bobby assisted the doctor who applied the Dermabond. He explained his technique as he went along. All Ranger could do was wait. He assessed the situation, gave his orders, and his plan moved forward.

The doctor gave Bobby the instructions on care of the site but added it would be written in the discharge instructions. He nodded to Ranger as removed his gloves.

"She seems to be resting now. Her blood pressure was elevated. We'll need to keep an eye on it while she's here. I think it's just because she was upset. Has she had any problems with her pregnancy so far?"

"Other than a bad case of morning sickness the first couple of months…no. My sister is her doctor. She had given her a prescription for Phenergan which really helped. She got very dehydrated from that, but her blood pressure has been fine," Ranger explained.

"How far along is she?"

"4...no…she's 5 months now. With twins."

"Let her rest now. We'll recheck it when she wakes up," the doctor suggested.

"Have you heard anything about Detective Morelli's condition?" Ranger asked.

"Are you family?"

"No, but the man saved her life," Ranger said as he cocked his head towards Stephanie.

"Understood. He's still in surgery. I'll let you know if I hear anything."

"Thank you, Doctor."

Ranger strode back to Stephanie's bedside. He sank into the chair and laced his fingers through hers. Bobby quietly stepped out to give them privacy. He needed to steal a few minutes for himself just watching Stephanie sleep. It would clear his head and relax him. He could have lost her and the twins today. That thought had begun to choke him. He needed to put it aside because Stephanie and the twins were alive and going to be fine. He had to focus and stay strong. Ranger had no doubt that the insanity had just begun.


	29. Chapter 29

**Chapter 29**

The rise and fall of the waves reminded Stephanie of playing in the surf all day at Point Pleasant. Then she would feel the same sensation that night when trying to sleep. Ranger's voice echoed in the distance. As the fog lifted, the memories of the horrible afternoon washed over her like the not-so-gentle surf of the Atlantic. A warm hand gently caressed the side of her face.

"Babe," Ranger whispered. "Joe made it out of surgery. He's not totally out of the woods, but the doctor said he feels confident Joe's gonna be fine."

"Can I see him?" Fully awake now, Stephanie attempted to jump off the stretcher, but the room spun out of control.

Ranger caught her before she fell and sat her back down. "Easy. You've been laying down for a couple of hours. You need to sit up for a bit before you try to stand again."

Ranger raised the head of the stretcher for her. She tried to lay back but couldn't seem to find a comfortable position because of the tender spot on her head.

"Try this, Steph," Bobby offered as he rearranged her pillow. "Better?"

She gave him a weak smile. "Thanks."

She took Ranger's hand again. "When can I see him?"

"He just came out of surgery and is still in the Recovery Room. It will be a while before he's moved to ICU. As soon as he can have visitors, I'll take you to him," Ranger explained.

"How's Lula?"

Tank poked his massive bald head through the curtains. "They just took her to the OR. After they shot her up with some morphine…she was doin' just fine. How's the head, Bombshell?"

"Like someone mistook my head for a soccer ball and used it for practice," she sighed.

"I'll get the doctor," Bobby insisted.

Letting go of Ranger's hand, Stephanie grabbed Bobby's wrist. "I don't want anything right now…except maybe an ice-cold Pepsi."

Bobby leaned over and kissed her cheek. "You got it."

"How are John and Annemarie?" she asked.

"I sent John home with Lester," Ranger told her. "I had my family moved to Haywood until we find out who's behind this. Hunter said they're still in jail, and my contact hasn't heard anything about it on the streets."

He sat back down and reclaimed her hand. "Annemarie and Morelli's family moved to the waiting room upstairs."

Stephanie winced. "How's Mrs. Morelli? Joe's her baby. She must be falling apart."

Ranger smirked. "I think she's stronger than you people give her credit for. And _his_ grandmother is scarier than _yours_."

She started to smile, but it quickly faded. The tears welled up in her eyes. "Is Joe _really_ going to be all right?"

Ranger yanked a tissue from its box and daubed her eyes. "Yeah, Babe, he's going to make it. The bullet entered here." He pointed to her rib cage under her left arm pit. "And it came out here." He trailed his finger along her chest to a spot under her breast bone. "It went through his lung and nicked the side of his heart. The bleeding and air pressure collapsed his lung. The surgeon wants to keep him on the ventilator for the next 24, maybe 48 hours to help him breathe easier. He's got a chest tube…but you know what that's like."

She rolled her eyes and nodded.

"Morelli's tough, Bombshell. He's gonna be fine," Tank added.

"I can't believe this happened," she whispered. "I mean one minute…we were having lunch and having fun. Then the next minute…" She bit her lower lip.

Bobby returned with her Pepsi and Eddie Gazarra. "Here you go."

"Thanks, Bobby…we're so thirsty." She practically sucked down the whole thing in one gulp.

"How you feeling, Steph?" Eddie asked, grimacing as he looked over her wound and blood-matted hair.

"Okay…did they find the guys that did this?"

All eyes turned to Eddie. He shook his head. "We have some leads on the car. It was an older model Chevy Caprice…gray…no plates. Witnesses said there were 3 men in the car. They had on ski masks so they couldn't tell their race. The guns were small so they probably used Uzis seeing the .22LR casings found at the scene. We definitely think it was a hit, but we don't know who the intended target was."

"We've got people asking around," Ranger told him.

"I just need to get your statement," Eddie told her sheepishly. "Is this a good time?"

"Yeah…but I really didn't see anything," she sighed. "I was paying the bill then it sounded like kids were setting off firecrackers or something. The last thing I remembered was the windows shattering. Sorry. That's all I remember."

"It's okay, Steph," Eddie replied. "Do you remember any of the customers that seemed out of place?"

"Just that the place was really busy," she added before taking another sip. "Busier than usual."

Realization slowly dawned on Stephanie as she remembered stunning Regina Fagoli. Did she call someone to get even for zapping her?

"What?" Ranger demanded.

Shit. How could she be expected to work on her blank face after all the crap went down today? Of course Ranger would notice. He noticed everything.

"Well…" she began, biting her lip. "Promise you won't get mad?"

Ranger's head dropped as Tank bellowed with laughter. Bobby pulled up an extra chair and sat down with elbows on his knees.

"This is gonna be good," Bobby joked.

"I dropped off the body receipts like you asked, but sort of went along with Lula to pick up a real easy skip," she explained.

"With John," Ranger breathed.

"He was only going to watch!" she insisted. "She wanted to kill us with her ugly feet, so I sort of stunned her."

"Then what happened?" Ranger sighed.

"She peed…it was gross."

Bobby, Eddie, and Tank tried to control themselves, but nothing seemed to work.

"What did you do with her?" Ranger pressed.

"Nothing. Lula didn't want to get pee on her seats. She would have only gotten $50, so we just left. Then we went to Pino's."

"Is she the one that karate chopped the produce section at Walmart?" Eddie asked as he swung his hand in a chopping motion.

Stephanie nodded. Eddie snickered.

"I wouldn't worry about her," Eddie assured Ranger. "Oh…just so you know. It's illegal for anyone but law enforcement to carry stun guns in Jersey. And they just passed that law for us last year. There are _less_ restrictions on using our guns than stun guns."

Eddie handed his card to Tank. "I have to talk to Lula as well." He handed one to Ranger. "I need to talk to your nephew, too. You can have him call me later."

"Thanks, Eddie," Stephanie said.

Eddie gave her a quick peck on the cheek before he left.

The doctor reappeared. "There will be a nurse taking you to the OBS Unit in a few minutes. We want to keep Miss Jones overnight, too. You'll have a roommate."

Stephanie turned to Ranger. "Are you mad?"

Ranger raised an eyebrow. "About taking a minor to pick up a wanted criminal?"

"I'm sorry."

"Lucky for you, I'm too relieved that my pregnant fiancée, who got injured in a shoot out, is alive and going to be all right. I'll be angry tomorrow."

He wanted to be angry with her. He should be angry with her…but he couldn't. It tore him apart to see her unconscious and bleeding form on the floor of Pino's. Stephanie seemed to have more than nine lives. Ranger never believed in luck. Training, discipline, and skill kept him alive all these years. Stephanie had this uncanny knack of walking right into the middle of trouble. Taking John along on a low level pick-up didn't bother him like it should. Stephanie would never intentionally put John in harm's way. Poor judgment? Maybe. The overwhelming relief probably wouldn't allow him to be angry with her tomorrow either.

Before Stephanie would allow them to take her to the Observation Unit, she insisted they stop by the ICU Waiting Room. Her nursing assistant agreed and wheeled her there with Ranger, Tank, and Bobby right behind. Morelli's brother, Tony, and his sister, Kathy, flanked their mother. Grandma Bella napped in a recliner in the corner. Next to Kathy sat Annemarie. Mrs. Morelli smiled when she saw her.

"Oh Stephanie!" she cried. "Thank God you're all right."

Stephanie thought she would be able to hold it together. Especially since Joe made it through the surgery. Wrong! The tears once again poured down her cheeks. In a flash, Angie Morelli was by her side, holding her hands.

"My Joseph is _very_ strong," she told Stephanie. "You remember how stubborn he is. It's the only good trait he got from his father."

Ranger handed her another tissue, and she wiped her eyes. "He's probably the only person I know that is more stubborn than I am," she joked.

Angie Morelli quickly examined the laceration on the side of Stephanie's head before splaying her hand on her swollen belly. "You need to rest. Take care of yourself and those babies," she instructed.

"I want to see, Joe," Stephanie insisted. "Have you seen him yet?"

She shook her head. "A nurse said they are getting him settled in right now. We'll only be able to see him for a few minutes tonight. Immediate family only. The doctor told us that they are going to keep him on a breathing machine tonight so he can rest. He'll be on medication that will make him sleep."

"Oh," Stephanie sighed, dejected. She really wanted to see him. Well…she needed to see him. Not that she believed that everyone was lying to her, but she needed to see him for own peace of mind.

Angie squeezed her hand. "I'm sure they can make an exception for you."

As if almost on cue, a nurse came into the waiting room to bring back Morelli's family. "He's stable. I just want to let you know what to expect. He has a tube in his mouth that goes into his windpipe. The ventilator is attached to the tube and is going to help him breath while he gets some rest. He has a tube in his chest to help drain the blood and keep the lung inflated. He has a central IV line in the side of his neck, and an IV in each arm. There is also a foley catheter to drain his urine. He is very pale and is still getting a few transfusions. He has an arterial line in his wrist. We are monitoring his blood pressure from that, and of course, he's connected to an EKG monitor."

"I'd like you to go in small groups," she finished.

"Stephanie…," Angie began, "you come with me first. You need to get some rest."

Ranger caught the jaw drop from Annemarie, but he wouldn't argue. He agreed with Mrs. Morelli. The sooner Stephanie got to see Joe, the sooner he could get her to the OBS Unit.

The nurse didn't argue when Ranger accompanied Stephanie into the room. Already unsteady on her feet, he tightened his grip around her waist when she sagged against his body. Morelli looked like death warmed over. Maybe this wasn't such a good idea. Ranger hoped that seeing Morelli would allow Stephanie to relax and get some rest tonight. But at least she could see he was still alive. He knew she needed this.

They hung back to allow Angie access to her son. Kathy and Tony remained by her side. Angie took Joe's hand and offered a silent prayer. She absently tried to fix his hair.

His nurse came in to gather his admission paperwork. "He's doing very well. We have the vent settings at 12 breaths per minute. He's breathing 18, so he's breathing on his own. That's a very good sign. We're giving him something for sedation to keep him asleep. We don't want him pulling at the breathing tube or moving around a lot."

Angie nodded. "I have this." She held up a gold chain with a small medallion.

"I bought this for him when he enlisted in the Navy. It's a St. Christopher medal. Patron saint for the Navy. I'd like for him to wear this. Is it okay?"

"Would you like me to put it on him?" the nurse offered.

Angie nodded again. "I don't want to mess any of these tubes up."

She handed the necklace to the nurse. The nurse quickly examined the chain's length. Joe had a central line on the right side of his neck. The necklace would be in the way. His left wrist had the arterial line, so that only left his right wrist. She wound it around his wrist a few times and hooked the clasp.

"Thank you," Angie told her.

After a few more minutes, Angie said that she needed to get Grandma Bella home, and she would return in the morning. She stopped to give Stephanie a hug and told her she would see her tomorrow.

Ranger walked Stephanie to Joe's bedside. She took his hand as she profusely apologized. It didn't surprise him that she would blame herself for Joe getting shot. He wouldn't argue with her about it now, but he would definitely talk about it later. He also couldn't deny feeling slightly jealous about the love she felt for Joe. A kind of shitty way to feel considering the man just pushed his woman out of the path of the bullet that nailed him. All rational thinking went out the window when it came to Stephanie.

They were interrupted by Annemarie clearing her throat. Perfect timing. Ranger gently pulled Stephanie back from his bedside.

"Come on, Babe. Let's give Annemarie some privacy," he whispered.

Stephanie snapped out of her grief and allowed Ranger to lead her back to her wheelchair. She pulled Annemarie into a hug as she approached.

"We're here for you, too, Annemarie," she told her. "Anything you need. Just let us know."

"Thank you," she responded.

Lester had returned with Ram and Woody. They waited with Tank and Bobby in the OBS Unit. The unit nurse told Tank that Lula would be arriving shortly.

After Ranger got Stephanie settled in her bed, Lester pulled out a care package from Ella.

"She made you your favorites, Beautiful," he told her with a wink.

Stephanie tore into the bag. The afternoon had flown by, and it was after dinner time. Even with her anxiety level through the roof, her stomach chastised her for neglect. Ella had packed plenty, so she offered some to Tank.

"You don't have to ask twice, Bombshell," Tank answered as he swirled his own fork into the huge container.

Lester cocked his head towards the nurses' station. Ranger followed.

"I know you want to stay with Steph, but you might want to go back to Haywood to see your family. Everyone's kinda freakin' out," Lester explained. "We can stay with her."

Ranger nodded. He didn't want to leave Stephanie at all, but his family needed him, too. He looked over at her and Tank attacking the Rubbermaid container of food. He knew his men would not only look after Stephanie's safety but take care of her emotional needs as well.

"Babe…I'm going to run home to check in with my family," he explained as Lester handed him the keys to the SUV.

With a mouth too full of Fettuccini Alfredo to permit any sound, she bobbed her head up and down. He kissed the tip of her nose and headed out just as the OR staff rolled Lula in.

"She's going to be pretty groggy," the OR nurse explained to the OBS nurse. "We shot her up with a large dose of morphine before we transported her. You'll be thankful that we did…she started making a weird noise and tried to karate chop the heart monitor."

Ranger's phone buzzed as he pulled into the garage at Haywood. Eddie Gazarra.

"Yo."

"I just wanted to give you a heads up that we found the get-a-way car. It was just outside Comstock. The Junkman was inside trying to get high. So far, he's refused to answer any questions right now. Looks like the Slayers put a hit on someone at Pino's, but we don't know who. He's not talking," Eddie told him.

Ranger heard a voice in the background speaking to Eddie. Eddie must have covered the phone because he couldn't make out their conversion.

"Manoso…it's Juniak. I have a favor to ask. This punk won't talk. You know we can't touch him. Otherwise, I'd have the Rev. Al Sharpton all over my ass. I could use your assistance," Juniak requested.

"My pleasure. I have some business to take care of, but I'll stop at the station on my way back to the hospital," Ranger replied.

Ranger let out a sigh of relief. Slayers and the MSK-13 never got along. The MSK-13 would never use the Slayers to put a hit on someone for them. He knew the Junkman… AKA Norman Carver. A mid-level punk with the Slayers, Carver was mostly known for running drugs and guns. The Slayers knew Ranger and his reputation. In the past, Ranger tried to maintain a fine line between the police and the gangs. Rangeman protected several businesses in the Slayers' territory. Both sides tried to walk that fine line without crossing it.

Ranger felt the Slayers crossed the line by shooting his woman. Probably the biggest reason the Slayers never fucked with Ranger or Rangeman was because of fear. Ranger's exploits had been legendary. Ranger never confirmed or denied these rumors. It kept his Man of Mystery persona alive. Time for the Slayers to learn their healthy fear of Ranger was justified. He headed up to his apartment.

His parents and Celia surrounded Ranger seconds after he entered. He ushered them into the living to give them the full update.

"How is Stephanie? Will she be home tomorrow?" Maria begged.

Ranger noticed the puffy and red-rimmed eyes. He hated to see his mother so upset. Reminded him of the days prior to his parents shipping him off to living with Grandma Rosa.

"She's doing better, Mama," he assured her. He didn't want to give the full details. Probably because it would remind him how close he came to losing Stephanie.

"She'll be home tomorrow. But the good news is that it doesn't look like this had anything to do with John. This Trenton gang, the Slayers, never interacts with the MSK-13s. Ever. They found the car used and have someone in custody."

Raoul muttered something in Spanish as he sank back into his seat. Ranger took a good look at his parents. They both were exhausted and drawn. Appearing thin, the dark circles and bags under Celia's eyes gave away that she hadn't been sleeping. Upon hearing the Slayers involvement, Ranger toyed with the idea of letting them go back home in the morning. Seeing how strung out they were, he decided to continue with his original plan.

"This has been very stressful for all of you," Ranger began. "You need to take a time out. Tomorrow, you're all going to a beach house in Longport. No arguments."

"Carlos, I have to work," Celia sighed. "I can't take off for no reason. Mama and Papa can take the boys…"

"No Celia," Raoul interrupted. "Carlos is right. And if anyone needs to take a break…you do."

Maria frowned. "What beach house?"

"It's a long story, Mama," he sighed. "It's a private property that is using Rangeman security. The owner liked Stephanie and gave permission for us to use it. It's quiet. It's got its own private beach. Trust me. It's just what you need right now."

"Is Stephanie coming with us?" Maria asked hopefully.

"I'm sure I can get her to come down after a few days," Ranger told her honestly. "But that was her good friend that was shot. I know she won't leave until she knows he's going to be okay."

Celia still didn't look convinced. "I can't…."

"You can and you will," Ranger insisted. "Damn it, Celia. Let me help you. First, it's safer to get you all out of the way. Second, you haven't had any time off. Third…when was the last time you took the boys on vacation?"

Celia bowed her head. Ranger knew she had only taken them on day or weekend trips. He didn't mean to make her feel guilty. The Manoso pride reared its ugly head.

"It's too quiet in here," Ranger said, changing the subject. "Where are the boys?"

"I believe they are on the 4th floor playing video games with Hector," Raoul responded.

"How was John?" Ranger had so much going on but needed to make sure John was all right.

"Better," Celia admitted. "I pulled him aside to talk, and he fell apart. I think I need to look into counseling for him. The first shooting shook him up, but this one…." She rubbed her face with her hands before blowing out a deep breath. "This one really scared him. This wasn't some store clerk that he didn't know. This was Stephanie and people he knew."

"Stay here tonight," Ranger instructed. "I need to get down to the police station then I'll be staying at the hospital. We'll pick up this conversation in the morning."

He hugged his father then his mother. "Mama…you're going to love this place."

He did. Of course, he would never tell his mother the reason he loved it so much was the vision of Stephanie naked on the balcony. For the first time, the thought of offering to buy the place from Rasmussen came to mind. Ranger always planned to return to his beach house in Miami. They could use this house until that time. Definitely something else to think about.

Ranger called Tank on the way to the police station. He filled Tank in on the details but told him to keep it quiet for now.

"Aren't you worried about going to war with the Slayers?" Tank asked. "Do you think they'll retaliate?"

"No," Ranger told him flatly. "If Carver wants to live, he'll talk. And if they are stupid enough to go up against me, I'll take them out. Juniak and all of the Trenton PD will look the other way."

"10-4," Tank muttered as Ranger disconnected the call.

Tank stepped back to Lula's cubicle. She lay on her stomach with her butt propped up in the air. She had just started to come out of the affects of the anesthesia.

"How are you feeling, Lula?" Stephanie asked her. Bobby helped her to the chair by Lula's bedside.

Lula's head popped up like a turtle as she squinted at Stephanie's face. "Daaaammn….White Girl," she slurred. "Yo face looks like my ass."

Stephanie, Lester, Tank, and Bobby frowned.

"They both got bullet holes in 'em," Lula finished. "I can't believe we got shot. Did they get them mother fuckers yet? Where's my iPhone? I gotta tweet my fans about my ass."

The Junkman's eyes widened as Ranger casually sauntered into the interrogation room. Juniak, Eddie, and a few others watched behind the huge mirrored wall. Juniak had given Ranger carte blanche. One of their own had been shot. They didn't give a rat's ass how the information got extracted. The earlier cockiness in Junkman's face quickly faded.

"Do you know who I am?" Ranger asked in a low and deadly tone.

He nodded and broke eye contact.

"Then you know why I'm here."

"I ain't tellin' you shit," Junkman spat at him.

"We can do this the easy way, and you won't get hurt. _Or_…we can do it _my_ _way_, and I won't guarantee your safety," Ranger threatened. He maintained his tone and an eerie calmness.

"Fuck you."

Junkman shifted in his seat and sweat beaded on his upper lip and forehead. His body betrayed his false bravado.

Ranger's mouth tipped up into an unfriendly smile. "Good. I was hoping we'd do this my way."

Junkman fell as he tried to get off the chair. He scrambled from the floor and into the corner. "You're not allowed to touch me. I'll file a report on your ass!"

Ranger shrugged. "I'm not a cop. I can do whatever I want. And there's not a damn thing you can do about it."

He began to shake. Ranger thought he would piss himself any minute.

"Who was the target?"

"Shit man!" Junkman whined. "I can't tell you that. They'll kill me."

Ranger's eyes went dark. His patience grew thin. "If you don't answer me…_I'll_ kill you."

"Fuck you."

Ranger grabbed Junkman by the throat and began to squeeze. "Who. Was. The. Target?"

Junkman's eyes began to bulge as he gasped for breath. He clawed at Ranger's hand to try to break his grip. When he failed and began to feel light-headed, he croaked out the answer.

"Morelli."


	30. Chapter 30

**Chapter 30**

"Who wanted Morelli dead?" Ranger demanded. He released his grip, and Junkman sank to the floor clutching his throat as he gulped in some air.

Junkman shook his head. "I don't know who. We wasn't 'spose to kill him…just send him a message."

Ranger slapped his hand against the door and grabbed his cell phone to call Tank as the officer let him out. Police scrambled to collect Morelli's case files. Ranger ordered Ram and Woody to cover Morelli while Juniak called the hospital administrator to approve the added security. Confirming that John and Stephanie weren't targets solved one problem, but Morelli created another. Putting a hit on a cop took this to a whole new level. Someone hired the Slayers to do the dirty work. They needed to find the source.

"I'll keep tabs on Morelli," Ranger offered. "What else can I do to help?"

"I've been assured that your staff will be given full cooperation at the hospital," Juniak began. "We can worry about what to do with him after discharge later on. I just want to get through these next few days without another incident. Do you have any contacts on the street that might know something?"

Ranger nodded. "We'll ask around. You know how to reach me. I'll be at the hospital tonight."

He turned towards the door but Juniak's hand on his shoulder stopped him.

"Nice work by the way." Juniak offered his hand. "You know it will go no further than this room."

Ranger shook his hand then left for the hospital.

Even at night, hospitals were never quiet. Beeps, coughs, moans, and hushed voices generally filled the halls of each floor. Most people would tune out those sounds as they head for their loved ones' room. Ranger heard it as he approached the OBS Unit. That distinctive, chain saw-like sound echoed in the hallway.

"Shit," he muttered under his breath as he picked up his pace.

With the curtain pulled back, Tank sat in the recliner between Lula and Stephanie's bed. Bobby and Lester slouched in the chairs on the other side of Stephanie. The looks of horror and shock suggested that she had been snoring for a while.

"Is she always this loud?" Lester joked. "This isn't sawin' a log…this is like total deforestation."

Bobby and Tank snickered.

"I'm surprised Lula was able to stay asleep," Tank added.

Stephanie would have a fit when she found out everyone heard her snoring. Especially since she didn't even _know _that she snored. The head of the bed sat at a forty-five degree angle. She lay flat on her back. He moved to guide her to her left side when he noticed the IV fluid running.

"What happened?" he growled.

"The doctor thinks she has a touch of vertigo from the head injuries," Bobby explained. "I helped her up to go to the bathroom. The dizziness made her nauseous then she threw up again. The doctor ordered another dose of Phenergan, and I suggested the fluids so she wouldn't get dehydrated."

Ranger lowered the bed and gently rolled Stephanie onto her left side. He learned in his pregnancy book that women should lay on their left side to avoid vena cava syndrome. But it also helped with snoring, too. The immediate silence almost made the sounds of the various machines overpower the room.

"Stephanie doesn't know that she snores," Ranger told them in a low and warning tone. "If she finds out that she snores, she will get upset. If she gets upset…then I will get upset. Do you know what will happen if I get upset?"

"Extra time on the mats?" Bobby wondered.

"Death?" Tank suggested.

"Ripping off my balls?" Lester groaned as his hands flew to his crotch.

"All of the above," Ranger sighed.

Bobby gave Ranger his chair which he greatly accepted. They were in for a long night. No sense keeping everyone awake. He and Tank could trade off during the night, but they didn't need Bobby and Lester sitting around for no reason. Ram and Woody would need to be relieved later.

"You 2 go back to Haywood," Ranger instructed. "Have Junior and Zip relieve Ram and Woody at 2300."

Lester opened his mouth to protest. Ranger held up a hand. "We need everyone at 100%. Something's going down. We're not going to talk about it here because I don't know who is listening. I'll text you the basics."

Ranger pulled out his phone and his thumbs quickly worked the keypad.

_Someone's after Morelli. Wanted him injured not dead to send message. Rangeman will provide security for Morelli in hospital. Juniak's reviewing his cases. Keep classified. Might use Morelli's condition to draw out._

"Fuck me," Lester muttered.

"_Everyone_ is a suspect at this point. We trust _no one_. Understood?" Ranger insisted.

"Affirmative. Do you want us back here first thing in the morning?" Bobby asked.

"Yeah," Ranger replied as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "I'm going to have a hard enough time getting Stephanie to leave. Have Ella make her favorite foods tomorrow. She's easier to talk to on a full stomach."

Tank slid out of the recliner. "Here…why don't you get some shut eye? Bombshell will be out for while. I'll take the first watch."

Ranger smirked as he lowered Stephanie's bedside rail. "That's okay. Keep it. This will do fine."

He didn't even bother to remove his boots before eased in behind Stephanie. He began to slow his breathing and attempt to shut his brain down. Tomorrow would be a longer day than today, and he needed some rest. Tank was right. Getting in a nap while Stephanie slept made the most sense. If she slept all night, that would be great. If not, he knew she would attempt to sneak off to see Morelli. If she felt up to it, he would take her. Keeping her calm and happy would be his second priority…right after keeping her safe.

Even though Stephanie wasn't the target this time, it also presented a huge problem. Someone had it out for Morelli. Stephanie would insist on staying close to him. That also put her in the danger zone. Morelli saved Stephanie. Stephanie felt guilty enough. How in the world could he keep her from seeing him?

Fortunately, Stephanie still slept soundly when he woke. It felt like he just briefly closed his eyes, but three hours passed. He gently kissed her shoulder before sliding down the side until his feet touched the floor. He replaced the side rail.

"Want some coffee?" Tank whispered.

"Why don't you try to sleep?"

"I caught a quick nap before you got back. I'm going down to the cafeteria. Sure you don't want some coffee?"

Ranger stretched. "Yeah, that sounds good."

"We could have lost them both today," Tank told him softly.

Ranger pursed his lips. It didn't even dawn on him that his best friend could have lost his woman as well. Only recently did Ranger start to think of Tank and Lula as a couple. And Lula…she surprised him again today. Throwing aside her own safety, she used her body as a shield to protect his nephew. Not only did he owe Morelli, he also owed Lula.

"I have to be honest," Ranger said. "I didn't think much of Lula when I first met her. I didn't think badly of her...just nothing special. I was wrong. You saw what Stephanie saw in her. Now I see the same thing. She's gotta a lot of heart. Do you know how much her tuition is? I think a Rangeman scholarship is in order."

Tank grinned. "You don't have to do that. Lula does have her pride, you know. She don't mind help, but she don't want charity either."

"This isn't charity. We've helped other Rangeman employees with tuition before. I'm sure we'll have more work for her. She's earned it."

"I think we should wait to tell her when she's off the pain meds," Tank joked as he lay his hand on Ranger's shoulder.

With nothing else to do and both their women sleeping soundly, Ranger and Tank spent the hours talking. About how they met, the trouble they got into as kids, the Army, starting Rangeman, and their future. Both men agreed that things had changed for the better. And both men looked forward to the upcoming wedding and birth of the twins.

Just as Ranger suspected, Stephanie refused to leave the hospital until she could see Morelli. The nurse hesitated when Stephanie asked about taking a shower. It hadn't been twenty-four hours since the Dermabond had been applied. He promised the nurse he would help her wash up and make sure that area remained dry. She slept pretty deeply last night, and he wanted her to get the rest she needed. But she had to get the rest of her and Morelli's blood off her body. The nurse relented and pointed to the two shower rooms at the far end. Ranger gathered her things while the nurse removed her IV.

Her vertigo symptoms greatly subsided. She no longer had the nausea, but did have some residual dizziness when standing. Ranger adjusted the water temperature as Stephanie undressed. A reddish-brown film covered her entire left side. Ranger stripped out of his own clothes with lightening speed but not fast enough. He hoped to get that dried blood removed before she had time to see it…but no. The tears welled up with the knowledge of where that blood came from.

He backed into the shower, using his body to control the spray of water, then pulled her towards him. He angled himself to allow the warm water to cascade down her left side.

"Keep your head turned to the side," he instructed as he soaped up the wash cloth.

She did as he asked as he washed away the gore. When he finished with her body, he turned her around to try to get the blood from her hair. To get all of the blood out, she would have to wait until later.

Ranger had no intention of starting anything today. Being semi-aroused around a naked Stephanie was normal. So it didn't take long to go from semi to fully aroused when he felt her finger tips stroke him. God, he needed her so badly. But not now.

The caress of her finger tips changed to her entire hand as she slowly pumped him. A soft groan escaped from his lips.

"No, Babe," he whispered. "Don't…you're not up for this."

She moved closer. Ranger started to protest again, but Stephanie silenced him with a kiss.

"I'm fine," she insisted. "I know you need this, Carlos."

He did. The feel of her full breasts and harden nipples on his chest along with her soft lips and gentle ministrations weakened any resistance he had left. He captured her mouth with his as he backed her up against the tiled wall. His hands slid down to cup her behind before raising her right leg to allow him to enter her.

Promising himself that he would go slow, total control went out the window once again. The whimper signaled the start of her orgasm. Seconds later, he began to feel her spasms of pleasure. It only took a few more thrusts before he grunted with his own release. The tension of the past twenty-four hours drained away as he emptied into her. They held each other tight until the aftershocks subsided.

Guilt started to fill him. The idea of using their lovemaking for his selfish needs almost seemed to cheapen it. He closed his eyes and dropped his head to her shoulder.

"Carlos…it's okay to take comfort from me," she soothed. "I know you needed that release. I get comfort from you all the time. I want to be able to be there for you, too."

He hugged her tight. "Thank you. You know me better than anyone, Babe. I did need that."

She gave him a sad smile. "Yesterday was scary and horrible. I just keep thinking about all the things that could have happened. Or what I could have done differently. Joe could be dead because of me…."

Ranger cut her off. "You weren't the target, Babe. Joe was."

Her eyes widened as her jaw dropped. It took a few tries to get it working again. "Joe? Who's after Joe?"

Ranger tilted his head back and rinsed the shampoo from his hair. "All we know is that someone wanted to send him a message. Rangeman will have guards on him 24/7. They're pulling all his case files for review."

Stephanie wrapped a towel around her body as she stepped from the shower. Even though a weight had been lifted, she still felt numb. Probably because of past experiences, she assumed the shooting had something to do with her. It also dawned on her that Ranger wouldn't want her around Morelli either. The tension in her body gave her away.

"I'm not going to prevent you from seeing Morelli. All I ask is that you work with me. _I_ will take you…no one else," he explained as he cut the water off and stepped from the shower. "If I have to leave…you have to leave with me. Until we know who's behind this, there is no negotiation about the terms."

Stephanie nodded. "I think that's fair."

Stephanie finished dressing while Ranger toweled off and began to dress. Ella, who always thought of everything, had packed a change of clothes for him as well.

"Today, I will take you to see Joe. We'll stop at your parents' house on the way home. Then, I need you to stay at Rangeman while I take my family to Rasmussen's beach house. I'll get them settled in then come home. After I check in with Juniak, I will take you back to the hospital to see him again if you are up to it," he told her firmly. "I need you to do this for me. Please."

Again she nodded.

"I told Tank to bring Lula back to his apartment. She's going to need some help. I was sure you and Ella wouldn't mind giving them a hand," Ranger added.

"Have I told you how much I love you today?" She gave him that heart-melting smile.

"Yes…but I don't mind hearing it again."

"I love you, Carlos Manoso." She reached up to give him a kiss but sucked in her breath as her hands flew to her belly. Before he could ask what happened, she placed his hand on her stomach. "Do you feel it?"

The slight quiver of her muscles tingled under his touch. It reminded him about what was important in life. Stephanie and his children were his future. Protecting his family became all the more imperative.

Zip and Junior had been relieved by Ram and Woody again. Angie Morelli sat in the waiting room. The ICU visiting hours were limited to thirty minutes every four hours. Ranger allowed Stephanie to go in with Mrs. Morelli while he got a night report from Ram.

Ranger gave them their privacy to visit with Morelli. More than thirty minutes had passed, and they still had to stop by her parents' house. He strolled up behind Stephanie, wrapping his arms around her. Thank God Morelli looked much better this morning. The grayish tone from the night before had been replaced with a lighter pallor. Before he could remind her that they needed to leave, the attending physician and his residents descended upon them.

The doctor introduced himself and explained Morelli's condition. He felt Joe would be strong enough to come off the vent the next morning. He planned to wean him off his sedation medication that evening. If all continued to go well, he would take him off the vent and remove the breathing tube.

"Thank you, Doctor," Mrs. Morelli told him as she shook his hand. She turned to Stephanie.

"Now you go home and get some rest. I'm sure you'll want to be back tomorrow morning when they wake him up."

"Well…I was going to come back tonight," Stephanie stammered.

"Nonsense," Angie said with a dismissive wave. "I'm sure you're going to spend plenty of time here once he's awake. Take advantage of him sleeping now. Mr. Manoso can bring you back in the morning."

Ranger knew Stephanie felt dejected but wouldn't go against Mrs. Morelli's wishes. Biting her lower lip, she nodded.

"Don't look so sad," Angie added. "Joseph is really going to need a lot of help when he gets out of the hospital. There will be plenty for you to do. Say hello to your parents for me."

Reluctantly, Stephanie agreed. Her silence on the drive to her parents spoke volumes about her feelings. Stephanie only remained quiet when something bothered her.

"What's on your mind?" he asked her softly.

"I really want to see Joe later," she admitted with a shrug.

"Mrs. Morelli was right though, Babe," Ranger told her. "I know you're going to want to help him through his recovery. I want you to know that I support that. But when it comes to you taking care of yourself and getting enough rest, I'm putting my foot down."

Stephanie just nodded. "I'm sorry. I have a headache, and I just feel _really_ whiney. I hate when I feel like this. It makes me feel like the weakest link or something."

Ranger smirked. "You are _far_ from weak. Actually…you're one of the strongest people I know. With all you've been through? Don't sell yourself short. After a few doughnuts, you'll feel like Wonder Woman again."

"What kind of doughnuts?" she asked as she rubbed her belly. "We're hungry. And for me to feel like Wonder Woman…there'd better be some Boston Crèmes."

Helen Plum went all out. After the huge fuss they made over Stephanie, she insisted Stephanie sit in the living room while she finished cooking their breakfast feast. Grandma Mazur supervised Angie and Mary Alice as they set the dining room table. Frank took Ranger aside to grill him about the details of the shooting. So that left Stephanie and Valerie alone in the living room.

"Oh my God, Stephanie!" Valerie cried. "We were _so_ scared. They heard about the shooting on the police scanner. Carlos and Tank went running out of there. Then Hal took me to get the girls. Waiting to hear any news was awful. Daddy wanted to go to the hospital so many times. I thought Hal would have to stun him or something."

"It was scary. Lula got shot in the butt, but she's going to be fine. John's fine." She looked away as she bit her lip.

"How was Joe doing this morning? Did you get to see him?"

Stephanie nodded as she wiped a tear from her cheek. "He looked a little better. His coloring is starting to come back. Val…he was so gray last night. He looked almost dead."

"But the doctors' said he's going to be okay…right?"

"Yeah…they want to take him off the vent tomorrow morning. Mrs. Morelli told me to go home and rest and come back tomorrow. I want to go back and see him later. Carlos is taking his family to the beach house today. There's so much going on, and I don't want to be a bitch about it. It's just going to be really hard waiting until tomorrow," she explained.

Valerie ran a hand over her stomach. "I can't believe how much you're showing. It's like your belly popped out overnight."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. She turned to Valerie to make some smart-ass comment but stopped dead in the tracks. "Okay…what is with you this morning? You seem _extra_ goofy today. Did you take some of Grandma Mazur's hormone replacement pills or something?"

Valerie turned crimson. "What do you mean…_extra goofy_?"

"You've had this weird smile on your face…" Stephanie trailed off and gasped.

"Oh my God, Val! You and Hal did it last night! Didn't you?"

"Sssshhhh!" Valerie frantically waved her hands to quiet Stephanie down.

"You had _sex_ in Mom and Daddy's house?"

"Quiet! They'll hear you!" Valerie hissed.

"I can't believe you! Where did you do it?"

Valerie's eyes involuntarily dropped to the couch. Stephanie followed her gaze. They both noticed what looked like a stain on the cushion between them.

Stephanie jumped up as if burned. "Ewwwe! Is that a _Hal_ stain? Do I have him on my ass?"

Stephanie craned her neck to check her backside. Valerie examined the stain until she determined it was an older and set-in stain.

"This is like juice or something," Valerie insisted. "It's not…_fresh_."

"Val…that is _so_ gross! Even _I_ never had sex in our parents' house."

"Well excuse me, Stephanie! I was upset. My pregnant sister got shot yesterday. Hal tried to comfort me, and the next thing I knew…our pants were on the floor…and well…." Valerie trailed off and bowed her head.

"I get shot. Lula's got a bullet in her ass. Joe was fighting for his life. And you were getting in on?" Stephanie frowned as she examined the couch. "How'd he fit?"

Valerie's head popped up. "He fit just fine. Besides…you've seen Hal's penis before so you should know."

Stephanie rolled her eyes and smacked her lips. "I was talking about his _height._ He's 6 foot 6. This couch isn't that long. I just can't believe you did it here. With Mom and Dad…and _your kids_…right upstairs!"

"Oh…so I'm not allowed to have sex just because you got shot?" Valerie asked indignantly. "Like you haven't had any since the shooting. I'm sure you and Carlos were humping like rabbits while the doctor put in your stitches!"

"It was Dermabond actually."

Stephanie and Valerie jumped at the sound of Ranger's voice. It pulled them out of their glaring match.

Stephanie straightened and raised her chin. "That's right. I didn't get stitches. So there!"

Again, Valerie turned fire-engine red. Mary Alice ran into the living room.

"Did the doctor make you laugh, Aunt Stephanie?" she asked her.

"Huh?" Stephanie, Valerie, and Ranger uttered in unison.

"Mommy said the doctor put you in stitches. Did he tickle you or tell you a funny joke?"

"Breakfast is ready!" Helen called from the kitchen. "Come and get it while the pancakes and bacon are still hot!"

Stephanie headed for the dining room, grabbing Ranger's hand along the way. She paused to address Mary Alice. "Your Mommy will explain it to you. Just don't sit on the couch."


	31. Chapter 31

**Chapter 31**

Stuffed with pancakes and Boston Crèmes, Stephanie didn't quite feel like Wonder Woman yet. Maybe more like the blob. She inhaled all her food like a pig. A few times, Stephanie swore she saw everyone clutching their plates for protection. She didn't eat for her usual five…she ate for seven. Well…maybe ten. With her stomach about to burst, jackhammers drilling a hole in her head, and the trauma of sitting on her parents' defiled couch, Stephanie was sort of relieved to be relegated to the 7th floor for the day. Even though Mrs. Morelli insisted that she not return until tomorrow morning, Ranger would take her back if she begged…or cried.

Ranger thankfully cut his family's fuss session short. Maria's eyes filled with tears when she noticed the dried blood left in her hair. Celia immediately inspected Stephanie's wound. Mike and Ian stared in awe. John pushed his way through to give her a hug.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

She nodded. "What about you? How are you doing?"

John shrugged. "I don't know. I mean I'm glad you didn't get hurt because of me, but it still sucked. It still doesn't seem real."

"Did you really get shot, Aunt Stephanie?" Mike asked with eyes wide.

"Your stomach sure got big," Ian added.

"Ian!" Celia hissed.

"If I didn't feel bad enough already," Stephanie muttered under her breath as she made her way to the couch.

"Maybe I should stay behind to help take care of Stephanie?" Maria offered.

Before Ranger could answer, Raoul jumped in. "Carlos can take care of Stephanie just fine. I think we need to get on the road."

Ranger gave his father a grateful smile. He promised Celia and his mother they could see Stephanie before leaving for Longport. He understood the importance of seeing for himself that Stephanie was fine. His family loved her almost as much as he did. Allowing them a few minutes with Stephanie would put them more at ease while at the beach.

Maria wasn't prepared give up. Ranger didn't get his determination from the wind. "Will you join us in a few days?"

Stephanie shrugged. "I don't know, Mama. I want to be around for my friends. Tank's bringing Lula here 'til she can be on her own. And Joe might come off the ventilator tomorrow. I don't want to make any promises right now."

Maria sighed. "I understand. I want you to take it easy. Make sure my son spoils you rotten."

Stephanie laughed. "He already does that."

Ranger herded his family towards the front entrance. "John, take everyone down to the garage. I'll be down in a second."

He closed the door behind them and sauntered over to the couch. "I hate leaving you along today."

He eased beside her pulling her close. Stephanie threaded her fingers through his as she snuggled into the nook.

"I don't want you to worry about me while you take care of your family, Carlos," she told him. "I promise to stay here. I'm exhausted anyway. I just want to ask you if it's okay that if Joe was to take a turn for the worst…then Bobby and Lester could take me to the hospital. I would call you first if anything happened, but I would want to be there."

His warm brown eyes met her pleading, aquamarine ones. How could he say no? "If that does happen, it's fine for Bobby and Lester to take you. Just call me and keep me in the loop. I'll call Ram and tell him to alert Bobby if there is any change. Then Bobby will come to get you. Fair enough?"

Smiling, she squeezed his hand. "Is it okay if I call Ram to see how he's doing?"

Ranger smirked. "You're not going to call him every 5 minutes…are you?"

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "No…I thought _hourly_ would be better. I mean…I don't want to distract him from his job."

He leaned down and brushed his lips across hers. "I better go. Get some rest. I should be back before dinner."

Stephanie woke after lunchtime. She had been too tired to get off the couch and get in their bed. One of the guys must have come to check on her because she found Ivy curled up by her feet. Ella left a note on the coffee table to call her when she was ready for lunch. She grabbed her phone to check in with Ram.

"He's doin' fine, Bomber," Ram assured her. "From what I've overheard, the doctors are real happy with his progress."

"Oh thank God," Stephanie muttered.

"How are you doin'?"

"I'm better today. Just a little sore and kinda tired…but better," she replied. "You don't mind if I call you in a little while to see how things are going…do you?"

"Not a problem. You call me anytime you want to. I promise to call Bobby if any goes south here, so you just take it easy."

"Thanks, Ram."

Stephanie felt more at ease knowing Morelli's condition kept improving. Well that…and it appeared that Ranger didn't instruct the Merry Men to keep anything from her. She knew he wouldn't intentionally keep her in the dark, but breaking caveman habits could take a while. With Ranger out of town, she knew he would be extra worried about her. Keeping that in mind, she planned to stick to her word and stay in the building. No matter how boring it was.

After lunch, Stephanie dosed off again. By the time she awoke, the warm body molded to her back signaled that Ranger had returned. His grip tightened around her waist telling her that he knew she awakened.

"How'd things go?" she yawned. "Did you get them settled in?"

"Yes…do you know how hard it was giving my parents a tour of that house, and all I could think about was _you naked_ on the balcony?" he growled.

Stephanie giggled. She had never done anything like that before. And with the size of her stomach now, she wasn't likely to do it again anytime soon.

"Yeah…you laugh," Ranger continued. "I had to keep making excuses to leave the room because I didn't want to embarrass myself in front of my mother. It's all _your_ fault, Babe. You ruined that place for me."

Stephanie frowned. "Ruined it?"

A sly smile spread across his face. "Yeah… just thinking about that place makes me horny."

She rolled her eyes. "No…you just have a broken off switch."

She felt his body shake as he pulled her closer. Stephanie started to get up but he tightened his grip again.

"Just lay with me for a little while," he whispered through a yawn.

She rolled over to snuggle into his chest. Ranger's face always softened when he relaxed. The bags under his eyes gave away his exhaustion. Before she could suggest that they move to the bedroom, he was out like a light.

Ella brought dinner an hour later. Stephanie slid out from under his arm, and he didn't even budge. It didn't surprise her. All she did today was sleep. Well sleep and eat. Ranger had been on the go since yesterday morning. He probably would have kept going until he dropped. It would be selfish of her to ask him to bring her to the hospital later. Not in his condition. He needed a night off. Besides, Zip and Junior would call if anything happened.

Stephanie planned to wait for Ranger to wake up, so they could eat dinner together. But the smell of the homemade garlic bread permeated her senses and made her mouth water. Stephanie mentioned to Ella that she had a craving for spaghetti and meatballs but didn't think her stomach could handle the meatballs. Meatballs and pregnancy had been a complete disaster for her. So with the magic of Ella's cooking, she made turkey meatballs with minimal seasoning. She broiled tilapia and steamed vegetables for Ranger. God bless Ella!

The more Stephanie thought about that plate of spaghetti with those turkey meatballs the hungrier she got. Ranger would probably be out for quite a while longer. He certainly wouldn't want to starve his children. Besides…fish and vegetables were easy to reheat. Garlic bread would get hard in the microwave. Oh…fuck it, she told herself as she dug into her meal.

Bright and early the next morning as promised, Ranger took Stephanie back to the hospital. Ram informed them that Morelli had been taken off the ventilator. He briefly opened his eyes but drifted back to sleep soon after. It would be another hour before the next thirty minute visiting window.

The tiny waiting room was packed. Mrs. Morelli. Annemarie. Eddie Gazarra. Joe's cousin Mooch. Lester and Bobby accompanied Ranger and Stephanie. There were a few other people waiting to see their own family members. Lester offered to make a coffee run.

"See if they have any apple turnovers," Stephanie begged as she rubbed her stomach.

Lester gave her a nod with his lopsided smile in place. "Will do, Beautiful."

Ranger raised an eyebrow.

"What? They have _apples_ in them. An apple is a fruit, and fruits are healthy," Stephanie insisted.

"You just ate breakfast before we got here," Ranger added softly. He smirked at the evil glare she aimed his way after the obligatory eye roll.

Annemarie sat in the corner by herself. She barely acknowledged them when they arrived. Hesitantly, Stephanie shuffled over and sat down next to her.

"How are you doing?"

Annemarie shrugged. "We were fighting just before this happened. I wasn't happy about the whole FBI thing, but I didn't want it to happen this way."

"What do you mean?"

"He's not going to be able to take the test next week," Annemarie explained with a sigh. "So…no chance at the Academy this year. I was hoping that he would change his mind because he wanted to be with me."

"It didn't have to end, Annemarie. It would have been hard being apart, but I don't think Joe had any intention of breaking up with you," Stephanie told her. "I've known Joe a long time. This is something that he's always wanted to do."

Annemarie nodded. "I know. It's just bad timing. I'm older than he is, Stephanie. I really can't wait much longer to start a family." She waved her off. "Anyway…I just feel guilty about the whole thing."

"I just want you to know that I'm here for you," Stephanie said. "If there is anything I can do for you…please don't hesitate to ask."

"Thanks," Annemarie replied with a tight-lipped smile. She continued to stare at the door as a hush fell over the room. Stephanie followed her gaze.

A tall and meticulously coiffed blonde entered. Terri Gillman. Stephanie hadn't seen her in years. If it was even possible, Terri looked better than ever. Swell.

Stephanie always felt insignificant next to Terri. Most popular girl at school. Head cheerleader. Dated Joe throughout high school. Little Miss Perfect. Feeling fat and disgusting, she sank lower in her chair hoping Terri wouldn't notice her. Fortunately, Terri walked right over to Mrs. Morelli. She nervously scanned the room and caught Ranger's questioning gaze. She mouthed…._Terri Gillman_…which he nodded in response.

"Who is that?" Annemarie asked.

Stephanie wracked her brain for a safe answer. "Oh…that's Terri Gillman. She went to high school with Joe."

The name recognition in Annemarie's eyes said it all. She knew who Terri was. She cleared her throat and stood up.

"I need to take a walk. I'll be back."

Ranger sauntered over and sat down next to her. "Is everything okay?"

Stephanie shrugged. "She's feeling guilty because she didn't want Joe to go to the FBI Academy. And now he's going to have to wait until next year."

Ranger gave her a sly smile. "Maybe not."

Stephanie's eyes widened. "Carlos…he's not going to be able to take the test next week. He's…why do you look like you're on Percocet?"

He traced a finger tip around the wound on her temple before tucking a stray curl behind her ear. He leaned in and brushed his lips across her ear. "Let's just say I called in a huge favor."

Stephanie opened her mouth to comment, but Ranger gently lay finger across her lips.

"Not now. I'll explain later," he whispered.

"Stephanie…pregnancy seems to agree with you. You look wonderful."

Ranger and Stephanie turned to the tall woman standing in front of them.

"Uh…hi Terri," Stephanie stammered as she smoothed her top. "Thanks. How are you doing?"

"I'm well," she replied then turned to Ranger and extended her hand. "You must be Ranger. I'm Terri Gillman. Uncle Vito has mentioned you."

Ranger shook her hand.

"Oh…sorry. This is Carlos…my fiancé Terri used to date Joe back in high school," Stephanie sheepishly cut in.

Why did she still let Terri get to her after all these years? And Terri never did anything to Stephanie…except date the one person she had a crush on since she was six. Ranger must have sensed her discomfort because he took her hand in his.

"I hear that Joe is going to be all right," Terri sighed as she took the vacant seat next to her. "I also hear some people are concerned about the DNA results. Certain…_Genovese_ people."

"Why would _they_ be worried?" Ranger demanded. "Tony Pro died in 1988."

Tony Provenzano was heavily suspected in the disappearance of Jimmy Hoffa. Hoffa left to meet Tony Pro never to be seen again. Tony died in prison from a heart attack.

"The Genoveses are worried about what was found at the scene. They don't want anything linking Hoffa's death to them. Apparently, Joe didn't cooperate when asked for information," Terri explained.

"Did you come here to tell us that?" Stephanie pointedly asked.

Terri nodded. "I don't want anything to happen to Joe. We were over a long time ago, but that doesn't mean that I still don't care about him. I don't want to see him dead over something stupid."

"Will you let me know if you hear anything else?" Stephanie pleaded.

Terri again nodded. "Hoffa had a lot of enemies. As far as Uncle Vito knows…the Genoveses didn't order the hit on Joe. But they won't hesitate to erase any traces that Tony Pro was involved. Keep the bodyguards on him."

Stephanie took Terri's hand. "Thanks."

Terri squeezed it as she smiled. Her eyes dropped to her swollen belly. "When are you due?"

"October," she told her. "We're having twins."

Terri rose from her seat. Her legs seemed to go on forever. Stephanie had forgotten how tall Terri was.

"It was nice meeting you, Ranger," she told him then turned back to Stephanie. "Take care of our boy. We'll be in touch."

Terri passed Lester on her way out. He almost broke his neck with the classic double take and all but dropped the huge tray of coffee. Stephanie looked at Ranger and rolled her eyes. Tongue practically on the floor, Lester's eyes zeroed in on Terri's ass as she made her way to the elevator. Some things never changed.

The first time they got into see Morelli, he slept the entire visit. The second and third time, he opened his eyes and stayed awake long enough to acknowledge everyone in the room. The doctor explained it was normal, and he would be more alert tomorrow. In fact, if Morelli continued to progress, he would transfer him to the Step-Down unit tomorrow. The visiting hours would be less restrictive as well.

As they headed back to the waiting room, Ranger got a call from a very angry Raoul. He excused himself to take the call. Annemarie pulled Stephanie aside.

"I know you mean well," she began hesitantly, "but do you think I could have some time alone with Joe tonight? We haven't had any privacy at all. You asked if I needed anything. That's what I need."

Stephanie bit her lower lip. It was a reasonable request. And she did tell her _anything_. She never expected to be told to stay away again. As much as Stephanie understood it, her spidey senses tingled. When Ranger was in the hospital after the helicopter crash, Stephanie would never have dreamt of asking his family and friends to stay away. Annemarie didn't wait for an answer before she left. That would be the last time she offered anything to Annemarie. Shit…she could always blame the bitchiness on the pregnancy hormones.

Lester grimaced as he checked his messages. "Fuck me…more _Christ-O-Grams_ from Xylia. I thought she'd finally given up."

Bobby smirked. "Maybe she heard what happened and just wants to say a few extra prayers for us?"

Lester smacked his lips. "Yeah right. I'm gonna have to change my number now. What a pain in the ass that's gonna be. Why doesn't she just get the hint?"

Ranger caught up with them at the elevator. "Rao just ripped me a new one because I didn't call him."

Stephanie snaked her arm around his waist. "How'd he find out?"

"Papa called him. Rao was pissed. He was all set to fly up on the next plane until I convinced him that you and John weren't the targets," Ranger sighed.

"I guess we should have called him last night. I didn't even think about calling Raoul and Marissa with everything that was going on," Stephanie agreed. "So…how mad was he?"

"I won't be able to sit down for a few days," Ranger joked. "Just give Marissa a call later to let her know that you're all right."

"So what time are we coming back?" Bobby asked.

"We're not," Stephanie told them.

Ranger raised one eyebrow. She hated when he did that. No matter how hard she practiced, she couldn't do it.

"Annemarie asked for some alone time with Joe," she admitted.

"You okay with that?" Lester asked her.

Stephanie shrugged. "I'm sure Lula could use some company today anyway." She forced a smile as the elevator doors opened. "Let's go."

Lester and Bobby glanced at Ranger. He just shook his head and followed Stephanie into the elevator. The thick tension and awkward silence weighed heavily on all of them as it seemed to take forever to get to the ground level.

The doors finally opened. Before they could exit the car, they were assaulted with cold water. Xylia stood in the opening brandishing her holy water container.

"May the Lord protect you and keep you," she told them as she recapped the bottle.

"Xylia! What are you doing here?" Lester demanded.

Ranger removed a bandana from his back pocket to dry his face. His right eye had taken a direct hit. Bobby cleaned his sunglasses with the hem of his shirt. Stephanie didn't get a drop this time, so she couldn't help but laugh.

"I'm volunteering with the Chaplin Service here. I heard about the shooting, and I've been praying for everyone. It's too late for Stephanie because she's already got a reservation in hell, but I can try to save those babies and Joe," she explained.

Ranger opened his mouth as if to make a comment, but Stephanie pulled him towards the door. "Don't worry about me going to hell," she whispered. "You're my pimp…remember? That reservation is for 2."

Bobby followed right behind them leaving Lester to deal with his ex. He didn't want a front-row ticket to that fucked-up circus.

"I got your…_messages_," Lester sighed. "It's got to stop, Xylia. I don't want to have anything to do with you anymore. Just leave me alone. _Please_!"

"The Lord is testing us, Lester," Xylia told him. "The Devil is at work in Trenton, and he's trying to get between us. But that's okay…I have enough faith for both of us."

"Xylia…you have enough faith for the _entire_ eastern seaboard," Lester groaned. "The devil isn't _trying_ to get between us. There is _nothing_ between us. There never was. Please…just go away."

Xylia smiled. "You're lucky I love you so much, Lester. The Devil won't scare me away. I'll have you back in the light of Jesus soon."

She backed into the open elevator, and as the doors closed, Xylia squirted him with holy water again. She was like Quick-Draw McGraw with that fucking thing. Lester stared at the elevator as he wiped the offending liquid from his face. This was like a _bad_ joke. Did someone pay her and put her up to this shit? No _normal_ person acted like that. Like there wasn't enough shit going on…now he had to deal with a five foot, red-headed crusader who had deadly aim with holy water. Somehow, he was being punished for something he did in a past life. He sure as hell couldn't think of anything he did wrong in this one…except asking Xylia on a date.

Lester jogged to catch up with the others. Bobby had pulled around to the entrance, and he jumped into the passenger's seat.

"Did you set her straight?" Bobby asked.

"I tried to, but she said she's not giving up," Lester whined.

"You need to be more forceful, Lester," Stephanie told him. "Let her know that you mean business."

"If I was any more _forceful_, I'd be punching her in the face, Beautiful. Lester Santos don't hit chicks," he insisted. "She thinks were being tested…_by the Lord_."

"She sounds like she escaped from Jersey State," Bobby added. "Have you checked her out?"

Lester rolled his eyes. "Gee, Bobby…why didn't _I_ think of that?" he replied sarcastically. "_Of course_ I checked her out. I couldn't find anything. For all I know, her past is being hidden by God. I might have to summon Satan to get her the hell outta my life."

"You won't have to summon Satan, Les," Stephanie assured him. "I'll handle, Xylia."

He spun around in his seat. "I know you've got a lot going on right now, and I hate to get you mixed up in this…but Beautiful…_I'm desperate_."

"What are you planning to do, Babe?" He questioned her with a smirk in place.

"We're gonna have a come to Jesus meeting."


	32. Chapter 32

**Author's Note**: Okay…I wanted to make this chapter longer, but a little distraction came my way yesterday. I mentioned earlier that I had to put my sheltie to sleep on 12-31. We had also just gotten a puppy from the pound just before Christmas. My plan was to get another sheltie puppy later in the year. As I was surfing the net on Friday afternoon, I found the most beautiful blue merle sheltie puppy. I talked it over with my husband, and he's my early birthday/Christmas present this year. I changed my avatar with his picture. He's gorgeous and has blue eyes. Anyway…my point was that (he's laying in my lap as I type) he's taking up my time. I'm still going to finish this story in a few more chapters, but I just have to learn to write/type with him either biting my toes or sleeping in my lap. I can't believe all the distractions I've had while trying to finish this darn story!

**Chapter 32**

Bobby and Lester got off the elevator on 5 while Ranger rode up to 7 with Stephanie.

"Are you going to tell me what happened between you and Annemarie?" he asked as the doors opened to the apartment.

Stephanie sighed as she followed him to the door. "Earlier, I told her that I'm here for her if she needs anything. Well…she asked to be alone with Joe tonight."

Ranger raised an eyebrow. Damn. Why did he always do that?

"Yeah…I know. It's not _unreasonable_ to want some time alone with your boyfriend. But…" She trailed off and bit her lip.

"But what?"

"It was the way she asked me that felt kinda…I don't know…_off_. And I thought it was a really selfish thing to ask anyone to do right now. And…it felt kinda…personal," she explained.

Ranger wanted to assure her that she probably read too much into the situation because everyone's nerves were fried. Only he knew better. Stephanie's spidey senses had more accuracy than most of the intelligence he got from the CIA. Why would Annemarie have any issues with Stephanie?

"You didn't do that when I was in the hospital," he agreed. Granted, he didn't remember her the first few days. Even after he got his memory back, she never would have thought about asking for private time alone with him and restrict his family's visiting time.

"Once I see him awake…and can talk to him…I'll be able to relax a little," she whined. "But it just was kinda weird. One minute…she's telling me how she feels guilty that they were fighting about Joe going to the FBI Academy. And the next minute…she tells me to stay away. And she sure didn't like seeing Terri there either."

Ranger hugged her close. "Maybe she was feeling a little vulnerable with Joe's ex-girlfriend there."

"I don't know," she sighed. "I promised her this time, but I might not be so nice next time."

Ranger glanced at his watch. "I'm going to catch up with things in my office. Why don't you get some rest? I'll be up for dinner."

"I want to run down and visit with Lula first, but a nap sounds like a good idea," she agreed. "I'll need my rest to deal with the Blessed Virgin later."

Ranger snickered. "And just how to you plan to save Lester's soul from eternal salvation?"

"I don't know…I'm making this up as I go."

Lula lay on Tank's bed with a spread fit for a queen. Ella had been quite busy not only making Stephanie's favorites but Lula's as well. She had bowls of potato chips and pretzels on one side and a tray with various dips on the other. A bedside snack table supported a personal-sized cooler with cans of Pepsi and a plate of oatmeal cookies.

"Hey, White Girl! How's Morelli doin'?" Lula greeted with a mouthful of pretzels.

"Better. He's off the vent but still out of it. How are you feeling?"

Stephanie eased down next to Lula and helped herself to the potato chips.

"At least my ass don't feel like it's on fire no more, but I'm gettin' really bad muscle cramps," Lula explained as she reached over and snatched a cookie. "Tank has to rub my ass to get rid of them."

Stephanie winced. Too much information!

"Damn…these are good. I usually don't like oatmeal, but I'm supposta eat more fiber 'cause all these drugs are backin' me up. Oatmeal has fiber and shit," Lula told her.

"It's too bad that you're out of commission," Stephanie sighed. "I could use a wing man when I go put Xylia in her place tonight."

Lula's eyes widened. "You gonna kick that loquacious bitch's ass?"

Stephanie frowned. "Loquacious?"

Lula nodded as she swallowed another bite of cookie. "Yeah…_loquacious_. That's the word of the day today. That means someone that won't shut the fuck up."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Loquacious _doesn't_ mean _that_. It means like really talkative or something."

"Yeah…someone that _won't_ shut the fuck up," Lula insisted. "By the time I go back to school, I'm gonna blow them teachers the fuck away with my new language."

Stephanie giggled as she reached for a cookie. Those teachers had no idea what they were in for, she thought.

"So…how are _you_ feelin'? You got shot, too."

"I'm feeling better. I keep getting headaches, but they're not as bad as before," Stephanie replied. "Can I use your phone?"

Lula tossed her the iPhone. "Who you callin'?"

"I want to call that bookstore, and see if Xylia's working tonight. Oh my God, Lula! She's like volunteering with the chaplains at the hospital now. She's been sending Lester all these religious texts, and she told him that she loves him, and that the devil is trying to keep them apart. I told Lester that I would take care of it. She is really starting to get on my nerves."

Stephanie asked the person who answered when Xylia would be working again. Xylia had been scheduled for six to nine-thirty that evening. Perfect!

"Great! She's working tonight. I'll have someone take me there after dinner. But _not_ Carlos. It probably wouldn't look good if this _sinner_ brought her _pimp_."

"There is definitely somethin' wrong with that girl," Lula agreed. "Just tell that bitch that Lester's a fudge packer. That'll straighten her Amish-ass out. I heard them Amish don't like fags."

"Be serious! I'm _not_ going to tell Xylia that Lester is _gay_!" Stephanie huffed. "And fag isn't really a nice thing to say."

"What are you gonna say then?"

Stephanie shrugged. "Well…I'm going to tell her that Lester isn't interested in her. And she needs to have more respect for herself and to stop making a fool of herself by chasing after a man that doesn't want her. No matter what the Lord says."

"What if she thinks you evil and workin' for the devil?" Lula asked.

"Then she'd better call on Jesus, 'cause I'm gonna beat the hell outta her."

Before Ranger returned to the apartment for dinner, Stephanie needed to get her back up Merry Man in place. She couldn't ask Lester for obvious reasons. She knew Bobby had a lot of paperwork to finish. Ranger would be cutting back the scheduled watches on Morelli to eight hour shifts to make it easier on the guys. She called Valerie to make sure she didn't have plans with Hal that night.

"I need to borrow Hal tonight," she explained. "I'm going to perform an exorcism on Xylia and tell her to leave Lester alone."

"When?" Valerie asked, excited.

"Tonight…after dinner."

"Can I come?"

"Um…I guess so. Sure. Why not?" Stephanie agreed.

"Oh goody!"

Stephanie rolled her eyes and groaned. "Val…if you're gonna act like a dork, you can stay home. This is serious business here. It might get physical."

Valerie gasped. "You're not going to hit her…are you? That's not nice."

Stephanie smacked her lips. "She told me I'm going to hell and that Carlos is my pimp."

"Knock her lights out!"

"We'll leave about 7."

"Okay…I'll drop the girls off with Mom," Valerie said.

"We'll pick you up there," Stephanie told her and ended the call.

She called Hal next. She just asked him to take her to the mall. She failed to mention the confrontation with Xylia. No sense in getting Hal all worried for nothing. Ella arrived with dinner. She thanked Hal and told him she would see him later.

Ranger soon followed Ella. Stephanie waited until they were half way through dinner to tell him about her plans.

"Babe…I'll take you," he told her.

"I don't think that's a good idea, Carlos. I think I need to do this alone," she insisted. "This way you can catch up on stuff. I'll be fine."

Stephanie's phone rang. It was Ram.

"Is Joe okay?" she anxiously asked.

"Yeah…I have someone that wants to say hi…" Ram trailed off.

"Cupcake?"

"Joe," she breathed. "Oh my God! How are you feeling?"

"I've been better, but I'm goin' be all right. How are you? Annemarie told me you weren't up to visiting me. I just wanted to make sure that _you_ were all right."

Stephanie frowned. What the hell was up with Annemarie? "I'm doing much better. The bullet just grazed me…thanks to you. Um…I was trying to give you and Annemarie some…um…privacy."

"Annemarie left a while ago. The only people here now are Ranger's men. I'm pretty tired though. I can't seem to stay awake long," he explained.

His voice sounded strained. Stephanie didn't want to keep him on the phone long.

"Why don't I let you get some rest? I'll be there first thing in the morning. Is that all right?"

"You don't have to ask. It's always good to see you."

"I just don't want to step on Annemarie's toes."

"Did she say something to you?"

"Uh…well…sort of. She just wanted to be alone with you tonight. I kinda thought she'd be there."

"You come and see me anytime you want, Cupcake. She has no right to tell my family and my friends to stay away. Okay?"

"Okay…I'll be there first thing. Can I bring you anything?"

"Nah…I'm good. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye, Joe. Thanks for calling."

Stephanie's smiled faltered as her eyes welled with tears.

"How's he doing?"

"Good," she whispered. She cleared her throat. "He called to check on me. He's alone. Annemarie isn't even there."

Ranger's jaw set tight. "Babe…don't worry about her. If Joe says you can visit then you visit. If he says he needs rest then you give him the time. I'll take you first thing in the morning."

"Thank you, Carlos," she sighed. "Not just for taking me to see Joe, but for being so understanding. I love Joe…_as a friend_…nothing more. I never loved him the way I love you. And not only do I want to be there for him as a friend, but I feel like I owe him. He could have just dropped to the floor when he heard the first shots, but he was more worried about me than himself. He's laying in that hospital because of me."

Ranger scooted his chair closer and pulled Stephanie into his lap. "First of all…I know you love me, but it's always nice hearing you say it."

"I do love you, Carlos. More than anything in the whole world. Even chocolate cake."

Ranger gave her his two hundred watt grin. "And like I told you before, it's the shooter's fault, Babe. Not yours. I'll be forever in his debt for protecting you. I promise to keep him safe. And…I will take you to see him anytime you want."

Stephanie's head popped up. "What were you talking about earlier today? That Joe can still go to the Academy this year? He's not going to be able to take the test next week."

He tucked a curl behind her ear. "Like I said…I called in a favor. He's got a military background. He was a State Trooper and now a Detective in a major, capital city. And he's a hero. He placed himself in the path of a bullet to save someone else's life. They waived the test."

Stephanie threw her arms around his neck and gave him a very enthusiastic kiss. "You are wonderful…you know that?"

"He's going to have to get through the Academy on his own," Ranger added. "But I didn't think he should have to wait another year. Neither did my associates."

Stephanie remembered her evening plans and straightened. "Um…speaking of associates…Hal will be here soon, and we'll pick up Val."

"Are you sure you don't want me to take you?"

"Yeah. I think it's best to leave my pimp at home," she insisted.

"You're not going to hit her…are you, Babe? You've been known to throw a punch or two."

"Geez, Carlos!" she whined. "You make it sound like I'm Mike Tyson or something. I don't hit _everybody_. And those that got hit _totally_ deserved it!"

"That's my girl."

Hal and Val chatted on the drive over while Stephanie remained silent in the back seat. She still had no idea what to say. She was dealing with a total fruitcake here. It would be her luck that she made things worse for Lester. Then again…how could it get any worse? No, she just had to be firm with Xylia. Maybe tell her that Lester would take out a restraining against her. That might work. Well…she could give it a try.

Fortunately, the book store was empty. Xylia sat at her perch behind the counter. Stephanie motioned for Hal and Valerie to wait outside for her. She took a deep breath and entered the lion's den.

Xylia looked up from her book and frowned. "What are you doing here?"

"I came to talk to you about Lester," Stephanie told her. "Just talk…okay?"

Xylia shrugged. "I don't think it's any of your business."

"Well…Lester's one of my best friends…not my husband or my babies' daddy…just a friend."

"I know. I told Lester that I believed him. Again…I don't see why this is your business."

"Lester doesn't know what to do about you. He broke up with you. He told you he didn't want to see you anymore. But you still keep bothering him. He wants it to stop," Stephanie rambled on.

"You're wrong. Lester _loves_ me. There are unseen forces at work, and I will be the one to save his soul," Xylia retorted.

"His _soul_ doesn't need saving, Xylia. Stop with the _stupid_ text messages. Stop _squirting_ people with that _shit_. Just buy some self-respect and find a priest or some other man of the cloth for you to harass. Lester doesn't want you or your Jesus head or your holy water. This stops tonight!"

Xylia reached under the counter with lightning speed to retrieve her bottle of holy water. Before Stephanie could protest, she doused the front of her shirt. Muttering something under her breath, she held her cross pendant for strength.

"Jesus…please give me the strength to fight this succubus. And protect those innocent children this evil virus is carrying," Xylia continued to utter.

"Lester's gay!" Stephanie blurted out.

Xylia's mouth snapped shut and her eyes widened. Oh shit, Stephanie thought. She didn't mean to say that at all. Damn Lula! Well…damn Xylia for making her crazy enough to resort to pulling the gay card!

"H-h-he's…._gay_?" Xylia stuttered.

"Um…yeah. That's why he doesn't want to be with you anymore. He wants a gay man. He…um…was just too embarrassed to tell you," Stephanie told her.

"But I saw him with a woman. He can't be gay."

"Oh…that was Lester's…um…boyfriend. She was a drag queen. Trust me, Xylia…Lester went from being an _Army_ Ranger to being a _Rump_ Ranger. That's why you have to forget about him. It just can never be," Stephanie lied.

"Then why did he ask me out if he was gay?" Xylia sighed.

"Oh…because um…he just realized he was gay about a month ago. He really didn't want to be gay. So…uh…he thought he would _test_ himself by trying to date a woman. And…um…it didn't work. He wants to be with men. I'm sorry."

Xylia flopped down on her stool. Her face fell. Good, Stephanie thought, she's buying this shit.

"If it's any consolation, he really did like you," Stephanie soothed. "You just had the wrong equipment."

"No wonder he was horrible at that basketball game," Xylia mused. "Don't gay men stink at sports?"

Stephanie nodded. "Oh yeah…but they like to shop and can dance."

"Poor Lester!" Xylia cried. "He must have been in so much pain when he was in the Army."

Stephanie nodded. "Oh yeah…don't ask don't tell really…uh…pushed him into the closet. He couldn't be himself…until now. You understand."

This might not have been the best plan, but Lula's idea worked like a charm.

"What should I do? Should I call him and tell him that I understand?" Xylia asked.

"_No!_ I mean…no. Just pray for him…_from a far_. It would embarrass him if he knew that I told you. Let's just keep this between us girls," Stephanie insisted. Yeah…don't tell Lester that she just _outted_ him. While Lester would be thrilled that she got Xylia off his back, he would rather become a castrated monk than be known as a gay man.

A single tear trickled down Xylia's cheek. Guilt started to creep into Stephanie's belly. Maybe this was a little mean, but they weren't really left with any other options.

"Um…I have to go. I'm sorry I had to tell you about Lester. I…I just didn't want you to get hurt. God made Lester gay. So…praying wouldn't have changed anything. But you can keep praying for Joe though. He's doing much better," Stephanie said as she lay a hand on her shoulder.

Xylia nodded. "T-thank you, Stephanie. I will keep Joe in my prayers. And Annemarie. I talk to her all the time."

Stephanie frowned. Now that was an odd friendship. Birds of a feather.

"I'll see you around, Xylia. Uh…may God keep you and whatever."

Stephanie scurried from the store and joined an anxious Hal and Valerie.

"Let's go…but first I want to stop at Gertrude Hawks and get some chocolate covered pretzels. Lula's got me hooked on those things," Stephanie instructed.

"Wow…," Hal muttered. "I never would have guessed in a million years."

"Guessed what?" Stephanie asked him.

"You know…that Lester's…uh…_gay_." He lowered his voice to whisper the unthinkable word.

Stephanie started to giggle. The look on Hal's face! She started to tell Hal the truth, but Linda, of Motherhood Maternity, stood behind him trying to eavesdrop. That would be all she needed…for Linda to run back and tell Xylia the truth.

"Yes," Stephanie told him. "Lester is gay. But he hasn't come out officially yet so you can't say anything."

Hal's face burned red. "Oh my God! The locker room! He saw me naked."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "Hal…don't worry about it. We've all seen you naked. Now let's get my pretzels and get outta here!"

Lester shot out of the elevator when they pulled back into the garage at Rangeman. He barely waited for Hal to park before he yanked open Stephanie's door.

"Well?" he begged. "Is she finally going to leave me alone?"

Stephanie smiled. "Yes…you're a free man, Lester."

Lester pulled her close and swung her around. "Whoo Hoo! Thank you, Beautiful. I knew you could get her off my ass. What did you say to her?"

"Oh…well…I just told her that you didn't love her, and she should stop making a fool of herself. Let's just forget it. She's going to leave you alone, so what does it matter?"

"I can't believe this," Lester went on. "The pain in my ass is gone. I feel like a new man."

Hal smirked. Stephanie explained the situation on the ride home. She made him swear not to say a word to anyone.

"You're a new man all right," Hal muttered under his breath as he headed to the elevator.


	33. Chapter 33

**Chapter 33**

Ranger lurked in the doorway to the kitchen when Stephanie entered the apartment. Naked except for the towel around his waist, he sipped from a bottle of water. Stephanie could definitely get used to being greeted this way all the time. The two hundred watt grin told her that she must have been drooling over his body for more than a few seconds.

"I could show you more," he teased.

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "I love the toga. Are we playing _gladiator_ this evening?"

Ranger smirked. "Only if I get to ravish the blonde slave girl."

He took another swig. "I had a chance to sneak in a work out. Just took a shower. So…how'd it go?"

Stephanie shuffled past him to get to the refrigerator. "I _need_ cake."

"That good, huh?"

Stephanie yanked the door open and stuck her head inside. Searching furiously, she spied the last piece of chocolate salvation way in the back. She didn't even bother to take the time to get a fork. Lifting the plate to her mouth, she took a huge bite.

"Utensils, Babe," Ranger sighed. "It's what separates us from the primates."

Stephanie didn't care. Her middle finger told him so. Her body craved that chocolate. Ranger would never understand the need for sugar. He probably did damage to his temple after years of putting all that healthy shit in to it. Okay…so she ate like a pig. If he didn't like it, he didn't have to watch.

"I'm guessing that Xylia isn't giving up on Lester."

"No…mission accomplished."

He raised an eyebrow as he examined her knuckles. "And you didn't have to hit her? I'm impressed."

She swallowed the last bite of cake before returning to the fridge for milk. God bless, Ella! She stocked up on chocolate milk, too! Again, Stephanie bypassed using a glass and took a giant gulp. Ranger stared at her with both eyebrows raised.

"I just set her straight. I told her that it was over with Lester, and that she needed to get some self-respect and stop chasing a man that didn't want her."

"And that worked?" Ranger asked, incredulous.

"Well…no," Stephanie sighed. "Then she started praying and chanting about how I suck and that I'm an evil virus or something."

Ranger tipped back the bottle of water to finish it.

"Before I could stop myself…I…um…I sort of told Xylia that Lester was gay."

Ranger choked and sprayed water all over the counter top. When he got himself under control, he threw back his head and howled with laughter. He grabbed the counter for support. She had never seen him laugh so hard.

"Carlos! It's _not_ funny. Lester's gonna shit Frisbees when he finds out," Stephanie whined.

He couldn't answer her yet. Now, he had doubled over laughing. He steadied himself with one hand while holding his side with the other. Tears stained his cheeks. It took several minutes before he could even catch his breath.

"God, I love you," he forced out while his body continued to shake.

"It's all _Lula's_ fault," she insisted. "It was _her_ idea. I had _no_ intention of telling Xylia that, but she just…has this _affect_ on me. It's like I get possessed by the devil and start like speaking in tongue. I _totally_ lose self control!"

Ranger pulled her to him. He threaded his fingers through her hair with one hand while rubbing her back with the other.

"Babe…you really don't _have_ self control, but you never disappoint."

He kissed the tip of her nose before he started to shake as he chuckled again.

"I've never seen you laugh that hard before."

"I know. There hasn't been much to laugh about in my life. I think I've laughed more in the last year than I have my entire life," he explained with a smile.

"Thanks," she grumbled. "I'm glad you have someone to laugh at."

"I'm laughing _with_ you, Babe, not _at you_. You make me happy. I enjoy being with you. And you make me laugh. I'm serious when I tell you that I haven't had much to laugh at before I met you. I meant it as a compliment."

"I felt like I was having an out-of-body experience," Stephanie sighed. "It was like I was watching myself go on and on about Lester coming _out of the_ _closet_. Going from an _Army_ Ranger to a _Rump_ Ranger. But she was eating up everything I said…so I just kept feeding the troll."

Ranger started to shake again. "I wouldn't worry about it. No one is going to believe that Santos is really gay."

"Hal did," Stephanie insisted. "Then he got all upset about being naked in the shower in front of Lester. It took the whole ride home to convince him that I made that up."

Ranger lost it again. Hal's homophobia pushed him over the edge. His sides ached from laughing so forcefully. It had been a very long time. He couldn't even remember the last time he laughed this hard. This was just one of the many benefits to having Stephanie in his life. She brought his soul back from the dead.

"I don't know if I'll be able to keep a straight face around Santos. It's a good thing I'm taking you to see Morelli first thing in the morning," he joked.

Stephanie snapped her fingers. "That's a great idea! I'll just _avoid_ Lester like the plague! If I see him coming…I'll just run the other way."

Ranger snickered. "I don't think you'll have to go to that extreme, Babe."

He took her by the hand and led her to their bedroom. Ranger slowly unraveled his towel and let it drop at his feet.

"This gladiator is ready to please his slave girl."

His role of Spartacus had worn out Stephanie. From the lack of sleep and rising early, Stephanie crashed in the recliner in Morelli's room. He had been moved from the ICU and into a step-down bed. Ranger made arrangements for him to have a private room for security purposes. Not having any available private rooms, Morelli had been placed in a double room but would not have a roommate. Even better. Now they had plenty of space.

Morelli also slept. The nurse explained they had him sitting up in a chair last night. He continued to progress, but fatigue would be expected. The grayish hue to his skin had been replaced with a lighter shade of pale. Not quite back to normal but a huge improvement.

The sounds of the hospital coming to life filled the Step-Down Unit. Patients awoke. Morning medications administered. Early morning visitors wandered the halls. The breakfast cart creaked its way by. That's when it began.

Stephanie's snoring overpowered all those sounds. Ram's and Woody's faces contorted in horror as they peeked into the room. A soft groan came from Morelli as he began to stir.

"What the hell is that noise?" he grumbled in gravely voice.

Ranger sauntered over to the bedside. "Stephanie."

Morelli opened his eyes and nodded to Ranger. Ranger stepped aside to reveal Stephanie's sleeping form in the recliner.

"Holy Shit," he muttered as he tried to shift into a more comfortable position. "Has she always been that bad?"

Ranger smirked. "No…she doesn't know she snores, and I'd appreciate it if you didn't mention it."

Morelli started to laugh but grasped his chest. "Ow! Don't make me laugh. Hurts like a son of a bitch."

"How are you feeling?"

"Thank God for pain meds," Morelli muttered. "But…I'm going to be all right, so I can deal with it."

Ranger nodded. He spied the pitcher of ice water and held it up. He remembered being incredibly thirsty after the helicopter crash.

"Yeah…thanks."

Ranger poured the water in nearby glass and inserted a straw. Morelli accepted the glass and immediately sucked half of it down.

"How is she _really_ doing?"

"She just got grazed at the temple and a slight concussion from hitting her head on the floor. She's alive…because of you. I owe you big time for that," Ranger told him.

Morelli shook his head. "Just make her happy…and we're even. I blew my chance a long time ago. Even if I hadn't, I would have ruined it anyway."

He gave Ranger a sad smile as he drained the rest of the water. "I was a selfish bastard back then. My father wasn't exactly a great role model. I probably would have wound up hurting her more than I did."

Ranger and Morelli both glanced at Stephanie.

"But just as much as she can be fragile…she's tough," Morelli continued. "She doesn't know it, but I tried to see her a couple of times when I came home on leave. I chickened out. When I finally got the nerve to face her, she ran me down with her father's car."

Ranger smiled at the thought. "She's tougher than she thinks she is."

A nursing assistant entered cautiously with his breakfast tray. "Uh…the doctor wants to start you on a clear liquid diet to see how you do."

Ranger stepped aside to allow her to place the tray on his bedside table. She looked nervously at the armed men in black as she left.

"Are you gonna tell me why you have armed guards on me?" He ruefully examined the broth, Jell-O, and Italian ice.

"Have you spoken to Juniak yet?"

Morelli frowned. "No…why?"

"Someone hired the Slayers to send you a message. Terri Gilman came by yesterday. She said the Genoveses are worried about the DNA results, but Vito doesn't think it was them. Juniak's looking through your case files. Do you have any ideas?"

"Me?" Morelli's shoulders slumped. "Jesus."

"You'll be under 24 hour watch until we find out who's behind this," Ranger assured him.

"When it rains…it fucking pours," Morelli sighed. "I guess I should be thankful that I'm alive. It's bad enough I lost my chance at the Academy this year, but now I got a hit out on me, too."

He yanked open the Italian ice and scrapped his spoon across the thawing surface. "I'm 33 years old, Ranger. I'm runnin' outta time."

Ranger pursed his lips. He hadn't planned on saying anything to Morelli about what he did. His acceptance letter should arrive any day. He figured someone would bring it to the hospital when it came. But now…he looked at a man that needed a boost. Keeping up one's spirit was important for the healing process.

"You've been accepted to the Academy, Joe. Your record stands for itself. They've waved the admission process. Now you have one less thing to worry about. Just concentrate on getting stronger."

Morelli stared at him wide eyed. Neither men noticed the absence of the buzz saw and were startled by the sound of Stephanie's voice.

"Joe! You're awake!" she gushed. "How are you?"

She took his hand as she leaned over to kiss his cheek. "You look so much better."

"It's good to see you, Cupcake. You really scared the hell outta me the other day. I thought we'd lost you."

"_I_ scared _you_? Jesus, Joe…_you _scared all of us," Stephanie retorted. "How are you feeling?"

"A little better. They're letting me eat today." He waved a hand towards the liquid feast on his tray.

Stephanie wrinkled up her nose as her lip curled in disgust. "That's not food. What do you want to eat? I'll go to the cafeteria and get you some real food."

Morelli shook his head. "I'm fine. They just want to make sure my stomach can handle something easy first. If they don't give me real food soon, then I'll let you know."

Morelli's eye's shifted to the doorway. Ranger and Stephanie followed his gaze. Ram looked questioningly at Ranger. Xylia stood in the hall outside Morelli's room. She had a colorful bouquet of flowers in one hand and her bible in the other. She sported a white lab coat with the hospital's logo along with a chaplain's insignia.

"Hi…I just wanted to stop by to say a prayer for Joe. I had rounds this morning," she told them. "Our office had a request from his mother for daily visits."

Ranger looked to Morelli for approval. He gave a nod to allow Xylia to enter. Ranger motioned to Ram to let her in. Stephanie and Ranger stepped back so Xylia could get to Morelli's bedside.

Xylia opened her bible and took Morelli's hand. She recited a few prayers before squirting him in the eye with holy water.

"Damn," Joe muttered under his breath.

Xylia gathered her things and turned to Stephanie. "I'll keep praying for Lester, so he doesn't go to hell for being gay. Sodomy is also a sin. I found a website…Gay Christian Survivors. They can help Lester accept his homosexuality and Jesus as his Savior at the same time. He shouldn't have to be ashamed of who he is."

"Santos is _gay_?" Morelli asked with a frown.

Ranger turned and faced the window, trying to contain himself. Stephanie's eyes widened.

"Yes," Xylia responded. "Stephanie told me Lester's secret. That's why he can't be with me anymore. He wants to be with men."

Woody and Ram snickered. They had moved from their post in the hallway to just inside the room. Ranger's shoulders began to shake.

"He doesn't want anyone to know, Xylia!" Stephanie hissed. Especially since he doesn't even know, she said to herself. "You can't tell anyone else. Um…otherwise…uh…people will make fun of him."

Xylia whipped out her holy water and anointed Stephanie's belly. "Please Lord protect those innocent children in the belly of Satan's strumpet."

"OW!" Morelli cried out. He reached for the button on his patient controlled analgesia pump. He held his chest as he continued to laugh.

Xylia spun on her heel and exited the room, squirting Ram and Woody as she hurried past them.

"Fuck," Woody muttered. "She got that shit in my eye."

Ranger dropped to the recliner with his face in his hands as his body started to shake. Morelli kept squeezing the button to up his pain medications.

"Christ! Don't make me laugh," he begged. "God damn that hurts!"

"This is _so _not funny!" Stephanie yelled at the hysterical men. "Lester is going to kill me!"

Morelli clutched his chest as he tried to get himself under control. "Y-you told the Virgin M-Mary that Santos was…was…_gay_?"

"Aw man, Bomber," Ram added. "You just gave us some great ammo against _Leslee_!"

"No!" Stephanie pleaded. "Ram…you can't say anything to Leslee…I mean Lester! I didn't mean to tell Xylia that he was gay. It just sort of…_happened_!"

"Sorry, Bomber," Woody cut in. "This is _too_ good. He's been bustin' everyone's balls for years. That _devil_ is gettin' his due."

The pain medication finally worked its way into Morelli's system. His eyes glazed over, and he began to yawn. Ranger's phone buzzed.

"Manoso."

His blank mask dropped into place. Jaw set tight.

"Understood. We'll need to post guards at the Unit entrance. Only approved visitors will be allowed. I'll meet with you in 30."

Ranger snapped his phone shut and rose from the chair. "Someone leaked the DNA results to the press. It was Hoffa that you were driving around, Babe."

"Shit," Stephanie breathed. "So…what happens now?"

Ranger's phone rang again. Tank informed him that reporters starting camping in front of the Rangeman building. Ranger ordered him to call in contract workers and send two more men to his location. This circus promised to be bigger than the shooting.

"Whas wrong?" Morelli slurred. He could barely keep his eyes open.

"Tank said we've got reporters swarming out front. I'm going to drop you off at Rangeman, Babe. Then I'm going to meet with Juniak to work on a game plan. We're going to beef up security here," Ranger explained.

The humor vanished from Ram and Woody, and they stood at attention waiting for Ranger's command.

"Other than staff and Joe's family, no one else gets in this room. Understood?"

"Sir, yes, sir!"

"Maybe I should stay with Joe until his mother gets here," Stephanie suggested.

Morelli reached for her hand. "No, Cupcake. I'm really tired. Let Ranger get things under control, and you can come back later. I'm juss gonna sleep for a bit."

Stephanie smiled. Morelli's eyes not only were heavy but crossed as well. He dosed himself pretty good. Now that she had finally been able to talk to him and see that he kept improving, she felt better about leaving this time. Besides, she promised Ranger she would cooperate. Now she would go from being the Bombshell Bounty Hunter to Jimmy Hoffa's limo driver! Swell.

"Okay, Joe. Get some rest, and we'll be back later on." He already drifted off, so Stephanie gently kissed his cheek.

"We can come back later," Ranger assured her. "You can get some rest, and I'll get things under control with this mess."

Stephanie bit her lower lip. "I'm sorry, Carlos. I never should have gotten that car…."

He silenced her with a kiss. "First, I agree with you. I wish you never got that piece of shit either…but none of this is your fault."

They turned to leave and spotted Annemarie in the hall. Great, Stephanie thought, if my day wasn't shitty enough already. She didn't have the patience for Annemarie's pissy or condescending attitude right now.

"What are you doing here?" Annemarie questioned with her arms crossed.

"Uh…we were having a threesome," Stephanie retorted before she could stop herself. "We were _visiting_…what does it look like we were doing?"

Again, Ram and Woody snickered. Ranger slung an arm across her shoulders to guide her out. Either she gained a lot of self-confidence in the past few months or pregnancy hormones really were kick-ass.

"After you left him _alone_ last night, Joe called me and said it was okay to visit. I didn't mind giving _you_ some time alone…but I didn't know that you meant for _Joe_ to be alone. I'm still going to be there for you, but don't _bullshit_ me. If you have a problem with me, then say it."

"I don't have a _problem_ with you, Stephanie. I'm sorry if you got that impression," Annemarie replied. "I can't ask his mother for some private time. I thought _you_ would understand. I got called away for work. Not that I have to _explain_ myself to you. Our relationship is _none_ of your business. This whole situation is stressful enough. I shouldn't have to deal with crap about spending time alone with _my_ boyfriend now should I?"

She pushed past Stephanie and hurried to Morelli's bedside. Ranger raised an eye brow as Stephanie bit her lip again.

"I'm sorry, Annemarie. You're right. This _has_ been very stressful. For all of us. I just found out that I've been driving around Jimmy Hoffa. I didn't mean to attack you like that." Stephanie apologized.

Annemarie waved her off. "I'm sorry, too. I'm an only child and usually work alone. I'm not used to having a crowd around me all the time. I know you care about Joe. I don't mean to be a bitch to you, Stephanie."

"Babe," Ranger told her softly, "we're got to go."

Stephanie nodded and squeezed his hand. "I'll see you later."

Annemarie gave her another short wave as she pulled out her phone. Ranger took Stephanie's hand and led her to the elevator. He waited until the doors closed before he spoke.

"What do you think?"

Stephanie shrugged. "I don't know. Everything she said makes perfect sense. But I still get a weird vibe from her. Kind of funny that she works with the court system but can't handle a bunch of people…dontcha think?"

"Trust your instincts, Babe," Ranger insisted. "You might want to run a search on her today. Couldn't hurt."

"Sounds like a good idea."

The elevator doors opened to a sea of reporters. They were bombarded with flash bulbs and rapidly fired questions.

"Bio-Mom…did you have anything to do with Jimmy Hoffa's death?"

"Do you know who killed Hoffa?"

"Were you having an affair with Jimmy Hoffa?"

"Are you a member of the Genovese crime family?"

"Did you freeze Hoffa's sperm before you killed him and artificially inseminate yourself?"

Ranger didn't have time to call for back-up. He wrapped his arms around Stephanie, shielding her as best as he could from the mob, and bullied his way through the crowd. With permission from the hospital administrator, he had parked right outside the main entrance. He practically tossed Stephanie inside the Porsche before jogging around to the driver's side.

Fortunately, none of the reporters had quick access to their vehicles. Ranger easily left them in his dust. He called Tank for assistance at the gate as another gaggle of parasites awaited them.

He reached across the console and took her hand.

"Are you all right?"

"Did I _inseminate_ myself with Jimmy Hoffa's _dead sperm_? How gross! He was like some old and ugly short guy. Give me a _little_ credit," she whined.

Ranger laughed. "You're thinking of Danny DeVito. He played him in the movie."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever! I guess I should be _thankful_ that they stopped calling me the Bombshell Bounty Hunter of Trenton. Now I get to be _Bio-Mom _and I'm carrying Jimmy Hoffa's _love children_ from the grave. I'm feeling a little _less_ guilty about outing Lester now. He's the one who put friggin' _Bio-Mom_ on my shirt in the first place."

"Maybe they were there for Morelli, but I get the feeling that not only did someone leak the DNA results but tipped them off that you were at the hospital," Ranger told her.

"Swell," she muttered under her breath.

"I know you don't want to hear this, Babe, but I don't want you going anywhere alone. There's an unknown element to this, and I don't like it. I know the hit was on Morelli, but something else is going on that involves you. I can _feel_ it."

"I promise," she sighed. "I'll be a good girl and stay inside. But you'll owe me another night in the gladiator arena."

He gave her his two hundred watt grin. "I am Spartacus."


	34. Chapter 34

A/N: Sorry this chapter is a little late. And there might be some more errors that I didn't catch. We had a huge brush fire yesterday. About an acre got burned. Fortunately, it was just leaves that burned. No damage to our house, cars, or sheds. I'm a little sore from running back and forth carrying 5 gallon buckets of water while my husband used the hose. Still coughing from the smoke inhalation, but we're very lucky. Then I had to put out a spot that was still burning this morning. I'm going to double check this chapter in a few days and will fix any errors that I missed. I'm a little brain dead right now so I hope you still enjoy this chapter!

**Chapter 34**

Merry Men lined the driveway to allow Ranger and Stephanie to slide into the garage without being hassled by the mob. Tank exited the elevator as they parked the car.

"I'll be back as soon as I can, Babe," Ranger told her.

"When did the results come back? I missed the announcement," Tank said.

"Come with me to meet with Juniak," Ranger instructed. "There's a leak. Juniak thinks it was someone at the lab, but at this point, I don't trust anyone."

Ranger kissed Stephanie goodbye.

"Lula could sure use some company," Tank suggested. "She's getting' a little stir crazy."

"Sounds better than listening to these reporters talking about me carrying Jimmy Hoffa's love children," Stephanie agreed with a deep sigh. "Now I just need to convince my mother that these are yours".

Stephanie found Lula styling her hair when she let herself into Tank's apartment.

"Feeling better I see."

"I'm gettin' myself presentable to address my fans. I been tweetin' and Facebookin' like crazy. People want to hear about me gettin' shot in the ass."

Stephanie cringed. "Lula…I don't think that's a good idea. It's a total mob seen down there. And they're already making up all these outrageous lies."

"Exactly, White Girl," Lula told her. "You gotta set them mother fuckers straight. If you don't say nothin', they gonna make it up anyway. Just like you carryin' that dead mother fucker's kids. That's almost as bad them sayin'…._one of the victims was a large, black woman_. I ain't _large_. Them mother fuckers don't get nothing right."

Lula had a point. She didn't do anything wrong…except buy that stupid car. Maybe she should just tell the media her side of the story. It was so boring and uninteresting that they would probably leave her alone.

"I guess it couldn't hurt," Stephanie said finally. "I mean…I just bought a used car. I didn't know it came with Jimmy Hoffa."

"Now you finally gettin' with the program," Lula replied.

She gave herself a final once over then turned to face Stephanie.

"Well…how do I look?"

Lula had blown out her hair before straightening it. Her make-up looked conservative…well conservative for Lula. Her outfit? Well that could be an issue. The bright yellow tee shirt read…_I Got Shot In The Ass By Some Punk-Ass Mother Fucker_. Not exactly a media-friendly slogan, but she couldn't imagine Lula without something colorful.

"Well…you sure will get attention," Stephanie said.

Lula gave her outfit a glance. "Do you want me to do your make-up? You lookin' a little underdressed for TV."

Stephanie shook her head. "I'll be fine."

Ranger expressly told her not to leave the building alone. Did standing out front fall under that? Maybe it would be a good idea to have Lester and Bobby out there, too.

"I'm going to run up to the Control Room," she told Lula. "I think we should have some back up."

"Good thinkin', White Girl," Lula agreed. "I know they all gonna want a piece of Lula. It'll be just like Whitney House in that movie The Bodyguard."

Then Lula broke into a horrible rendition of _I Will Always Love You_. Stephanie held her ears as she escaped from the God-awful screeching. And here she thought nothing could ever sound worse than that Bigfoot mating call.

The Control Room buzzed with heavy activity. Tank recalled several contract workers. Ram and Woody had been relieved, and four others had taken over Morelli watch at the hospital. Bobby barked instructions while Lester organized the shift schedules for bodyguard duty.

Lester smiled when he noticed Stephanie get off the elevator. "Hey, Beautiful!"

He jumped up and pulled her into a bear hug. "You're a miracle worker. I haven't gotten any phone calls or religious shit on my phone since you set Xylia straight. I owe you big-time for this!"

Stephanie bit her lower lip. Yeah…she set Xylia straight by telling her that Lester was _so not_ straight. She needed to come clean and tell him the truth. But not now. He looked so happy that she didn't have the heart to burst his bubble.

"Um…I need a favor," she began.

"Anything…just name it."

"Lula and I are going to give a statement to the press. Would you and Bobby just come down there with us?"

Lester's cheerful expression immediately transformed to one of horror. She imagined he would have the same look when he found out he was gay.

"Uh…I don't know…," he stammered. "Did Ranger say that was okay?"

"They are making up stuff about me. I think it's important to tell them what happened. Which is really nothing," she insisted. "Please?"

"What's up?" Bobby interrupted.

"Steph and Lula are going to hold a press conference downstairs," Lester informed him.

Bobby donned a similar look of horror.

"Did…"

Stephanie cut him off before he could finish. "I'm a grown woman, Bobby. I can make my own decisions. I am not going anywhere alone. That's what Carlos asked me to do. I'm asking for you guys to come downstairs with us. If you don't want to, I'll ask someone else."

She hated getting bitchy with Bobby and Lester. After a while, it got old being second guessed or having to ask permission all the time.

Bobby and Lester exchanged glances.

"Okay…if Ranger rakes us over the coals for this, I expect you to go to bat for us," Bobby joked.

"He won't be mad," she lied with her fingers crossed behind her back.

Lester smirked. "Yeah…right."

Bobby rounded up Ram and Woody along with Hal to make sure Stephanie and Lula had protection.

All cameras focused on Stephanie and Lula as the men in black escorted them through the front doors of Rangeman. Lula raised her hands to quiet the crowd.

"All a' youz shut the fuck up for a second," Lula bellowed. "We got somethin' to say. I'm gonna go first."

"First, I want to thank the Trenton PEE-DEE. I heard they caught one of them mother fuckers right away. Now you got to realize…that's a compliment comin' from me. I ain't got _no_ use for cops. But they did all right. Second…which one of you mother fuckers call me a _large_, black woman?"

Lula paused to glare at the crowd as she shook her fist.

"I'll beat the ever-lovin' shit outta anybody that makes fun of all this fabulousness. I'm a lady, God damn it, and I got shot in the ass. I mean what kind a mother fucker shoots a lady in the ass anyways? My ass felt like it was on fire, and one a' you people gonna start makin' fat black jokes?"

"We want to hear from BIO-MOM!" a reported called out. "Can you tell us why you had Jimmy Hoffa's body in your car?"

"Do you have any knowledge about who killed Hoffa?"

"Were you paid money to help hide his body?"

"God damn!" Lula whined as the attention focused to Stephanie. "Those are some rude-ass people. I was tellin' my side of the story, and they want to talk about some dead guy. Who cares about him anyways? It's not like he can do nothin' now. He didn't get shot in the ass."

Bobby shrugged as he tried to conceal his smile. "To them, the shooting was old news. Jimmy Hoffa is hot right now."

Eddie barged into Juniak's office. "Chief! You gotta turn on your TV. You're not going to believe this!"

Juniak pointed the remote at the TV. Ranger and Tank turned towards the screen.

"What channel?"

Eddie rolled his eyes. "Doesn't matter…just pick one."

Juniak turned to a local Trenton station. Stephanie stood outside the front doors of Rangeman giving an interview to what looked like two hundred reporters.

"Shit," Ranger muttered as he leaned forward.

Stephanie motioned to the crowd to settle down. "I just want to set the record straight about a few things myself. For all those idiots that think I had anything to do with Jimmy Hoffa's death…._hello_! He like went missing before I was born. I just bought used car because mine kept getting destroyed. That's it."

"Didn't you notice the smell?"

"Well…yeah…but there was a dead squirrel in the car. So…like…I thought that was it," she explained.

"Who did you get the car from?"

"I…uh…gave that information to the police. I don't know if I should give you his name."

"BIO-MOM…are you associated with any of the New Jersey crime families?"

"Is it true that you used Hoffa's sperm?"

Stephanie gagged. "That's _so_ gross! I just bought a used car, and there was a body in the trunk. That's it. Stop making up those stupid stories, or I'll sue you for slander…or libel…or defamation…whatever you call it! I'll sue you for something! Nothing else happened. That's all I wanted to say."

What a stupid idea, she internally groaned. Ranger would probably kill her when he found out what she did. Why did she let Lula talk her into these harebrained schemes anyway?

"Are you Lester Santos?" a report asked as he shoved a microphone into Lester's face.

Lester frowned. "Yeah…why?"

"The Lester Santos that was in the military?"

A small crowd of reporters swarmed around him. Ram and Woody tried to hide their smiling faces while Bobby attempted to herd Stephanie and Lula back inside the building.

"Yeah…so?"

"What do you think about the government trying to repeal Don't Ask-Don't Tell?"

"Are you more at peace with yourself since you came out?"

"When are you going to perform as Leslee again?"

The reporter held up his smartphone and showed Lester picture of him in his distraction get-up. Lester's eyes almost popped out of his head as his jaw hit the sidewalk.

"Where the fuck did you get this?"

He snatched the phone out of the reporter's hand and immediately deleted the offending evidence.

"When did you first realize that you were gay?"

Lester froze. Gay? What the fuck? How could anyone in his right mind think he, Lester Santos, was gay?

Stephanie grabbed his hand and pulled him towards the door. "Forget about them, Lester. I don't know where they get this stuff from."

Reporters continue to shout out questions for Lester and Stephanie as they locked the front doors behind them.

"Why the hell would they think I'm gay?" Lester wondered with a frown. "I mean…do I come off as gay?"

Stephanie rapidly shook her head. "Not at all. I…uh…think they're just jealous of you. You're so good-looking that they just _wish_ you were gay."

Lester straightened. He pursed his lips and nodded. "Yeah, Beautiful…you're probably right. I mean…look at me. Who wouldn't want to be me?"

Stephanie shot Ram and Woody a death glare. Their goofy-assed expressions gave the culprits away. Swell. Not only did Xylia, Joe, Hal, Ram, and Woody know about Lester's coming out, now all of Trenton did too! Lester might have forgiven her if nobody knew about it. She had about a snowball's chance in hell of getting his forgiveness now. Funny she should use hell as a reference…that was exactly where she would wind up.

As Stephanie, Lester, and Lula waited for the elevator, Lester's phone buzzed.

"Santos….yeah, she's right here."

He handed her his phone. She didn't have to ask…she knew it was Ranger. Stephanie quickly disconnected and handed it back to a wide-eyed Lester.

"Uh…you do know who you hung up on…right?"

Stephanie nodded and sighed. "Yeah…but I need some chocolate cake first."

Ranger found Stephanie under the covers. "Is there a reason that you hung up on me?"

"Um…I didn't hang up. I think there was something wrong with Lester's phone," she lied.

Ranger chuckled as he slid under the blankets to face her.

"Babe."

"Are you mad?"

He shook his head as he drew her to him. "No. But I think you could brush up on your public speaking skills."

"Lula said she was going to talk to the reporters. She said that they were making stuff up because we haven't said anything. Somehow…that really made sense. I'm sorry…how bad did I screw up this time?"

Ranger kissed her. "You were perfect."

Stephanie frowned. "Huh?"

"If the press doesn't get their subject to answer questions, they make stuff up to draw people out. Most people want to set the record straight," Ranger explained. "Works most of the time. I was going to set up a press conference, but you beat me to it."

"I really didn't have anything exciting to tell them."

"We knew that…but they didn't. They would have kept hounding you until they had something to report. I hope it takes off some of the heat on you. I don't want you to be a prisoner here."

"I think I got eclipsed by Lula and Lester anyway."

Ranger started to shake again. Lula's speech made him smile, but Lester's interview almost split his sides again.

"He asked me if he came off as gay," she admitted glumly. "I couldn't tell him the truth. Even though he asked…I still didn't tell."

Ranger lost it.

"You're no help," Stephanie groaned as she left the hysterical man under the blankets and hurried to the bathroom.

After a couple of days, the media frenzy died down. Morelli continued to improve, so his doctor transferred him to a regular room. Terri Gilman informed Stephanie that the Genoveses also began to calm down when they discovered nothing found at the scene would implicate them in Hoffa's murder. As promised, Stephanie never ventured outside the building without Ranger or a Merry Men entourage.

Occasionally, a reporter would pop up unexpectedly or attempt to follow the black SUVs. It appeared as if all of Trenton held its breath waiting to see what happened next.

Stephanie ran a search on Annemarie. She had been transferred to Trenton because of a sexual harassment case. Stephanie couldn't access the closed file. Did Joe know about this? Maybe that was the reason for Annemarie's mood swings? Her situation must have been pretty bad for her move an hour away and start a new job. Valerie's dancing in the door to her cubicle pulled her out of her musings.

"You okay, Val?" Stephanie asked. "You look like you have to pee. Do you need the key to 7?"

"No! It's not that," Valerie replied. "I wanted to talk to you about your apartment. The lease is up in a couple of months. I've got enough money saved, and I wanted to start looking for something bigger. We'd have to give a 30 day notice if you're not going to renew."

The thought of giving up her apartment hit Stephanie like a ton of bricks. That apartment had been the first place that was truly hers. It had always been a safe haven. No matter what happened, she could always go home.

The fear of Ranger leaving her or tossing her out on the street no longer existed. But could she get rid of the one thing that had been a constant for her these past few years? This had nothing to do with her commitment to Ranger. Actually, it had everything to do with her.

"Steph?"

She looked up at Valerie and swallowed hard. "When you find something, I'll call Dylan, okay?"

Valerie excitedly hopped up and down. "I really appreciate everything you've done for me and the girls. But we need more space. And…"

Valerie turned five different shades of red. She didn't need to continue. Valerie wanted her own room, so she could have sex with Hal. Stephanie certainly couldn't blame her. Valerie finally had a man in her life that treated her like she should have been treated by her needle-dick husband.

"I understand, Val. That place is fine…for _one_ person. I think it's time to let it go. Let me know if you want me to go…." Stephanie frowned as she trailed off. "Are you looking for an apartment or a house?"

"Well…I don't think I'll be able to afford to buy a house right now, but I guess I'm looking to rent a house or an apartment," she told her. "Something with at least 2 bedrooms, in a safe neighborhood with good schools, and roach free."

"This is Trenton, Val…roaches come with the territory."

Upon hearing the news that the Genoveses no longer had Morelli on their radar, Ranger lifted his Morelli visiting restrictions for Stephanie. As long as she had one of his men with her, she could visit Morelli whenever. Stephanie's concern for him eased as Morelli continued to improve. She had cut her visits to once a day. Shit, Morelli had been so bored out of his mind that he even appreciated _him_ being there.

Ranger refused to let his guard down even though things appeared to be settling down. The Trenton PD still hadn't been able to track down the person that ordered the hit. He suspected that person meant to place the suspicion on the Genoveses.

Stephanie's search on Annemarie turned up a sexual harassment suit. He called Raoul to see if he could ask his former co-workers if they had heard anything. Ranger didn't find it unusual for the file to be closed due to the sensitive nature of the case. What it did tell him was that both parties reached an agreement. But why was Annemarie the one who got transferred?

Stephanie kept her visits with Morelli to the afternoons. It made it easier to avoid Annemarie. Besides…Mrs. Morelli brought tons of food since he had been given the green light to eat. Mrs. Morelli gave her mother and Ella competition when it came to cooking. And…she never showed up without bringing cannoli and butter cookies from the Tasty Pasty either!

Stephanie glanced at the clock after she finished pulling contracts that needed review. Three thirty. She still had time for a quick visit. She gave the contracts to Valerie.

"I'm going to see who's available, and then go visit Joe," she told her.

"Oh…I almost forgot!"

Valerie jumped up and ran into the break room. A few seconds later, she returned with a small bakery box.

"Mary Alice and Angie made Joe some cupcakes," Valerie said. "Mary Alice thinks Joe calls you '_Cupcake_' because he loves cupcakes. We baked these last night, and the girls decorated them. Can you take them with you?"

Stephanie smiled. "Why don't you come with me? I'll ask Hal to take us there."

Valerie thought for a moment as she scanned the items her desk. "Um…okay. I can save this for tomorrow."

"He'll be glad to see you. He's getting a little stir crazy being locked up. The doctors said he might be able to go home next week. Oh Val…I can't tell you how relieved I am that he's doing so well. And I'll be so glad when all this madness calms down," Stephanie sighed.

"Was your life this crazy before you met Carlos?" Valerie asked.

Stephanie frowned at the thought. "You know…come to think of it…no. I mean weird things always seemed to find me, but nothing like this stuff had ever happened to me before. And all this time…I thought it was me. You're right…it's all Carlos' fault."

They both giggled.

"What's my fault, Babe?"

Stephanie and Valerie both jumped as they gasped.

"Stop doing that!" Stephanie whined as she playfully swatted his arm.

"Why do I get the feeling that you 2 are up to no good?" He gave them a sly smile.

"Mary Alice and Angie made some cupcakes for Joe. I was just going to ask Hal to take us over there." A little fib but the partial truth cancelled it out.

"Tell him I said hello." Ranger gave her a quick peck and sauntered back to his office.

Lula wandered into the Control Room. She made another tee shirt with her new slogan in bright orange. Her hobble had lessoned when no one appeared to be looking. With an audience, one would have believed that Lula had been shot with a cannon. Stephanie had a strong feeling that Lula would be a more permanent fixture at Rangeman.

"Can I go with you to see Morelli?" she pleaded. "I'm so desperate to get the fuck outta here for a while, I'll even go visit a cop."

Why not, Stephanie thought to herself. Morelli craved visitors, so this would be about even. She also thought Lula might have gotten wind of all the goodies Mrs. Morelli brought to the hospital as well.

"Yeah," she replied. "Just don't bring any weapons. And you might want to change your shirt."

"Change my shirt? What's wrong with it? I want people knowing' what happened." Lula really looked a little offended.

"Well…Joe's mom and grandmother might be there. Some people might find the wording to be a little…uh…harsh."

"Yeah," Valerie chimed in. "You wouldn't want Grandma Bella giving you the eye."

"What the fuck is the eye?" Lula asked.

"It's like a curse. If she gives you the eye…bad things happen," Stephanie added.

"No shit?" Lula's eyes widened. "You mean like she could make Tank's dick shrink or somethin'?"

Valerie nodded. "Or even worse…it could fall off."

"Oh _hell_ no! I'm gonna change this mother fucker right now. I'll be right back. I ain't gonna let nothin' happen to my favorite toy."

Lula practically ran to the elevator.

"Are you sure that it's a good idea to let Lula come with us?" Valerie wondered.

Stephanie shrugged. "No…it's a _terrible_ idea. But if Mrs. Morelli brings those butter cookies, any trouble that Lula gets into will be worth it."


	35. Chapter 35

**A/N: Sorry for the delay. I wanted to make sure I get the last couple of chapters right. A lot of shit is going down and will be important in the next story. And…I did some research on the FBI Academy and have taken a few creative liberties with the admissions process and the program. Trying to balance writing and training puppies. Both are fun but I don't pee on the carpet when I write, so the training sometimes has to be a priority. Enjoy.**

**Chapter 35**

Just as Stephanie had hoped, Mrs. Morelli brought a warehouse of tasty treats. Morelli no longer looked like the back of a TV set. He lost the last of his tubing and wires that morning. His EKG monitor had been swapped out for a portable unit. Sitting up in the recliner, he resembled a king holding court. His _subjects_, Eddie, Mooch, and his brother Tony dined on the lavish spread. Mrs. Morelli bustled around the room making sure everyone's plates were full.

"Oh Stephanie!" Mrs. Morelli announced. She shoed Mooch out of the chair.

"Hey Cupcake," Joe said.

"Let Stephanie sit down," Mrs. Morelli scolded. "Don't any of you know that you're supposed to offer a lady your seat? Especially a _pregnant_ lady?"

"Hi, Joe," Valerie told him as she kissed his cheek. "You look great. How are you feeling?"

"Better. It's nice not being chained to all this crap anymore," he admitted as he waved a hand at the disconnected equipment. He gave a nod to Hal and Lula.

"Here." She handed him the box. "Angie and Mary Alice made you some cupcakes."

He flipped open the lid to investigate. After a quick scan, he selected a huge chocolate one with pink icing and a gray blob.

Valerie giggled. "Mary Alice…that's supposed to be a policeman's badge."

Lula turned her nose up, and muttered under her breath, "It looks more she hocked up a lugie."

"With Mary Alice…you never know," Stephanie whispered back.

Joe devoured it in 2 bites. "Your girls can bake for me anytime. They did a helluva better job than their aunt."

Morelli gave her a sly smile and a wink. Stephanie just rolled her eyes.

"Steph used to make me mud pies…with _real _mud," he told them.

Mrs. Morelli handed Stephanie a plate piled high with a meal that probably would have fed all of Rangeman. But it would do for her and the twins! She scurried back to her makeshift buffet on the bedside table to assemble plates for Valerie, Hal, and Lula.

"I also used a _secret_ ingredient, Joe…_dog poop_. That's why it held its shape."

Morelli turned green as he gagged. "Jesus Christ, Steph! I actually _ate_ those things so you wouldn't cry!"

His mother slapped the back of his head. "Don't you dare take the name of the Lord in vain, Joseph Anthony Morelli!"

Eddie gave up his seat for Valerie while Lula made herself comfortable on Morelli's bed. Hal stood behind Valerie.

"No wonder…you always did have that _shit-eatin'_ grin, Morelli," Eddie joked.

Lula looked around the room as Mrs. Morelli handed the girls their plates.

"So…where is that lady that's supposta give people the evil eye?" she asked.

"Grandma Bella?" Morelli frowned. "She's at the Senior Center today. Bingo."

Lula blew out a sigh. "Thank God…I didn't want Tank's dick fallin' off. A girl don't want _no_ man with _no_ dick."

She dug into the pile of food on her plate while Stephanie and Valerie almost choked. Hal made a feeble attempt to decline, but Mrs. Morelli thrust the mountain of food into this hands.

"Resistance is futile," Eddie told him with a short laugh.

"Damn…this is some good shit, Mrs. M.," Lula told her, mouth full. "You do know that I got shot in the ass…right?"

"Lula was at Pino's, too, Mom," Morelli explained.

"Oh my goodness! We certainly have a lot to be thankful for. All of you are going to be fine," Mrs. Morelli replied.

"Hey…did you know that Joe got accepted to the FBI Academy?" Eddie interrupted. "He got his letter yesterday. Tony brought his mail up for him."

"Congratulations!" Valerie gushed. "That's wonderful. I'm sure the girls will want to make something special for you."

"I've got Ranger to thank for that," Morelli sighed. "Otherwise, I would have lost another year. But I still have to get outta here and back into shape. I can't walk 4 feet without feelin' tired."

"Joe…you got _shot_ and almost _died_ a few days ago," Stephanie pointed out. "It's going to take some time, but you'll get there. When does it start?"

"First week of October. It's a 20 week program. With a few breaks, graduation is in the beginning of March," Morelli explained.

"That's almost 4 months away. You'll get back into shape, little brother," Tony assured him as he helped himself to more ziti.

"Doesn't your wife feed you at home?" Mooch smirked.

"She's not as good of a cook as my mother."

"It's hard to cook from the living room couch," Mrs. Morelli muttered under her breath as she snatched a butter cookie.

"Looks like everyone's gonna have a busy summer," Valerie sighed. "You'll be getting back on your feet. Steph has to plan her wedding, and I have to try to find a bigger place to live. Steph's lease is up in a couple of months."

Morelli pursed his lips. "Well…unless you have some definite plans…how about you house-sit for me?"

Mouths stopped chewing, and all eyes turned towards Morelli.

"Huh?" Valerie asked with a frown.

"I'm going to be gone until March. Then I don't know where I'm going to get assigned. It could be a few years before I'd be able to transfer to the Trenton office. I can't leave my house empty. I'd need someone to take care of things while I'm gone."

"What about me?" Mooch whined.

"Like I said…I'd need somebody that would take care of things while I'm gone. You'll have plenty of room for you and the girls. It's around the corner from your parents. And…you would just have to take care of the utilities. Free rent for house sitting. What do you think?"

"I think that's a lovely idea, Joseph!" Mrs. Morelli cried.

Valerie looked from Morelli to Stephanie and back to Morelli. "Uh…I…are you sure? I mean…where will you stay when you come back to Trenton?"

"He could stay with me," his mother insisted. "I'm so glad that is settled. My Joseph is going to be an FBI Agent. I'm so proud!"

Valerie smiled. "Okay…but this is temporary. I would just need enough notice to find another place when you are able to move back."

"This will help you to save more money, Val," Stephanie agreed. "You'll be able to pay for your divorce and maybe have enough for a down payment on a house."

"Well…what about your furniture and stuff?" Valerie wondered.

"We'll work out the details. I can put some stuff in the basement or attic. You can use the furniture, or I can put it in storage. Whatever you want," Morelli offered.

"I don't really have much anyway. What I have is mostly Stephanie's. Wow…I can't believe this. The girls will be so excited to have their own rooms!"

"And their mother will be excited to have _her_ own room," Stephanie added with a wink.

The fire-engine red color of both Hal and Valerie, in addition to the looks of horror, gave away the real meaning of Stephanie's comment.

An awkward hush fell over the room. Stephanie and Valerie followed everyone's gaze. Annemarie stood in the doorway. Her face sort of resembled the Wicked Witch of the West's after she got electrocuted by touching the Ruby Red slippers. Fortunately, Mrs. Morelli took over the role of Glinda and saved those in Munchkin Land.

"Annemarie!" She smiled as she took Annemarie's hand. "Just in time for the celebration. Let me fix you a plate."

"What celebration?" Annemarie forced a smile, but it never made it to her eyes.

"So many things to be thankful for," Mrs. Morelli continued. "First, Joseph, Stephanie, and Miss Lula are all alive and well. And you already know about his acceptance to the FBI Academy. And now Valerie and her girls will be house-sitting while he's away. Everything is coming together like this was meant to be."

Annemarie's eyes never left Morelli's as his mother handed her the plate. Stephanie turned to Valerie and cocked her head towards the door. Valerie nervously nodded.

Mrs. Morelli surprised them by announcing that she had to leave. She hurried to repackage the food. Valerie jumped up to help her.

"Um…if you ain't gonna do anything with the rest of that ziti…I'll take it," Lula offered. "It was real good."

"Certainly. I'm glad you enjoyed it. Stephanie? Would you like some of these cookies? I know they're your favorite." She held up the half-full bakery box.

Stephanie immediately accepted. "Well…did you want any?"

Morelli shook his head. "You take 'em. I've got the rest of these cupcakes from the girls. Besides, my mom will bring another box tomorrow."

"Those are my favorite, too," Annemarie announced.

Mrs. Morelli took one cookie out and placed it on a napkin. She handed the rest to Stephanie. "Here you are, Annemarie."

"Okay. I think we'll walk your mom out. See you tomorrow," Stephanie told him.

"Thank you so much, Joe. I can't wait to tell the girls," Valerie gushed.

Valerie placed the leftovers in her portable shopping cart. Tony and Mooch waited in the hallway. Final goodbyes said, the group filed into the hall to join them.

"Cupcake?"

Stephanie poked her head back in the door.

"You were just kiddin'… about the dog poop…_right_?"

She gave him her heart-melting smile. "Nope. Why do you think I only hit you once with the Buick?"

She could hear his groan as she hurried to catch the elevator with the others.

"You didn't have to leave just because we did," Mrs. Morelli told them.

"That's because they're not stupid, Mom," Tony interrupted. "They don't want to be around the _Ice Queen_ any more than we do."

Stephanie blew out a sigh. "So it's not just me…you guys don't like her either?"

The trio shook their heads.

"She's very controlling," Mrs. Morelli finally said. "I don't think she supports my Joseph at all. I'm glad he's not giving up his dream because she doesn't like it. He worked too hard to get where he is. The Navy made a decent man out of him. He earned a degree while he was in because he wanted to be an FBI Agent. I just can't listen to her trying to talk him out of it anymore."

"Yeah…she keeps tellin' him that he's gonna be makin' less money," Mooch added.

"Or she says he's taking a step back. Or he has more advancement potential where he is," Tony said. "Shit…I only wish I had his drive when I was that age."

"You're never too old to work hard to get what you want," Mrs. Morelli scolded him. "You're only a few years older than Joseph. You could better your situation if you wanted to. You and your wife both need to get off the couch."

So…the Morelli family didn't trust Annemarie either. An interesting development. At least Stephanie wasn't the only one who felt that way.

"Usually, she doesn't come until after dinner," Mooch whined. "She was early today."

They said more good-byes as they got into their own vehicles.

"Lula…you were kind of quiet," Stephanie said as she broke the silence. "You feel all right?"

"I didn't think I'd be this tired…even _before_ I ate all the food," Lula admitted. "I'm gonna need a nap before dinner."

"Dinner!" Valerie cried out. "That feast was like breakfast, lunch, _and_ dinner. How can you even think about eating again?"

Stephanie shifted in her seat. "Well…I was kinda thinking the same thing myself. But I was planning on eating a _late_ dinner. I have the twins to think about, you know."

Stephanie found Lester in his cubicle staring at a blank computer screen. His usual confidence had gone AWOL.

"Hey," she said softly. "You okay?"

Lester's head popped up, and he shrugged. She opened the bakery box and offered him some cookies. He just waved it off.

"What's wrong?" She already knew, and it was her fault.

"I can't get a date," he growled. "Well…not with a woman. I keep getting all these guys callin' me. Everyone thinks I'm gay. I just don't get it."

Stephanie chewed on her lower lip. She had to tell him the truth. At least he could stop blaming himself and start blaming her. She only hoped he would be able to forgive her.

"Um…Lester?"

She scooted herself onto his desk. "I've been meaning to talk to you about my conversation with Xylia…"

"And I can't thank you enough, Beautiful," Lester cut her off. "I haven't seen or heard from her at all."

Stephanie cringed. "Um…yeah…well I sort of told Xylia…but you have to understand that it was just not getting through her thick skull that you weren't interested. I got squirted with holy water again. And…well you see…it just sorta…happened."

Lester frowned. "What happened?"

"That's kinda…when you came out of the closet," she finished with a sigh.

Lester continued to stare, but his eyes widened when it finally dawned on him.

"You _told_ Xylia that I was _gay_?" he gasped.

"It was an accident," she insisted.

"And now everyone in Trenton…probably all of Jersey…thinks I'm gay!"

"Oops?"

"_Oops_?" He jumped to his feet.

"All you can say is _oops_?"

"Lester…I'm sorry. That wasn't my plan…it just sorta…came flying outta my mouth," she explained.

Shock was too mild a word for what Lester felt. If Stephanie had been a guy, he would have dropped her where she stood. He felt like exploding. Tears welled in her eyes. Even though anger radiated through his body, he hated seeing Stephanie upset.

"Lester?"

He couldn't look at her. He didn't want to hear another word. Removing himself and working off his anger would get him back under control. Then…maybe then…could he attempt to talk to her.

"What's the problem?"

Ranger appeared outside the cubicle.

"Ask _her_," Lester told him as he jerked his thumb towards Stephanie.

He pushed past Ranger and stomped off towards the gym.

"What was that about?" Ranger demanded.

"I told Lester that I was the one that outted him, and now he hates me. I'm going upstairs to lay down for a while." Stephanie sniffled as she also pushed past him and hurried to the elevator.

Ranger gave Lester enough time to cool down before he approached. He leaned against the wall with arms folded until Lester acknowledged him.

"I really _don't_ want to talk about it, Ranger," Lester huffed as he pummeled the heavy bag.

Ranger gave him an almost imperceptible nod but said nothing.

"She _ruined_ my life."

He threw another series of punches.

"_Everybody_ thinks I'm _gay_."

Another round.

"How could she _do_ that to me?"

He just stared at the bag as the last drop of anger left his body. He raised a gloved hand and tore open the Velcro strap with his mouth. He removed his gloves and tossed them aside.

"She's crying…isn't she?"

Ranger again gave him a nod. Lester dropped onto the nearby bench.

"Shit," he muttered as he dropped his head into his hands. "I didn't mean to make her cry. I know she was _only_ trying to help me. _Jesus_! Why did she say I was…_gay_?"

Lester grabbed a towel and wiped the sweat from his face. "Thanks for this talk, Ranger. You always know the right things to say. I'm gonna grab a shower. If it's okay with you, I want to take Stephanie out for ice cream later. I've got an idea about how she can help put me back in the closet."

Lester jogged towards the locker room. Ranger just shook his head. Once again, he agreed with Stephanie. Santos was so not right.

With two alarms the night before, Stephanie never got her ice cream date with Lester. Ranger had tried to assure her that Lester didn't hate her but needed to respond on the second alarm. He finally rolled in around 4:30 that morning. He rarely slept late, so she decided not to wake him before she left.

A few years ago, Stephanie started a tradition of having breakfast with Grandma Mazur on Grandpa Mazur's birthday. With everything that happened, she almost forgot. She left Ranger a note by the bed telling him that she would be at her parents' house.

Stephanie stopped on 5 to ask Valerie if she would like to come with her. This would be the first year that Valerie could join them. It was kind of nice tradition they had. Now, she could share it with Valerie.

Lester and Bobby hadn't made it in yet either, and Hal covered the monitors. Stephanie asked Ram and Woody to take them.

"You 2 owe me big time!" she scolded. "You told those reporters that Lester was gay. And now he _hates_ me. I should make you take my grandmother out on a date!"

Woody cringed, but Ram just laughed.

"Spending time with your grandmother would still be worth the look on Santos' face when that guy asked him about _Don't Ask Don't Tell_," he joked.

"Well…we have to stop at the Tasty Pastry first," Stephanie sighed.

"And for the record…Santos could _never_ hate you," Ram added. "He'll get over it…believe me."

"I hope you're right. I feel horrible about the whole situation."

They headed down to the garage and piled into the SUV. Once again, the parking gods smiled on them as a space opened up right in front of the door.

"Do you guys call ahead or something?" Stephanie asked as she grabbed her bag. "We'll be right back. Do you want anything?"

"Yeah…see if they have those cookies that Mrs. Morelli always buys," Woody begged.

After scanning the heavenly, treat-filled cases, Stephanie placed their order. Valerie opened her mouth as if to say something, but the jingle of the bells on the door distracted her. Her face fell, so Stephanie's head snapped to follow her gaze. Joyce! She didn't need this bull shit today. Joyce's face always looked as if she smelled something rotten. The thick layers of concealer failed to hide the leftover bruises from their last encounter. Score one for me, she thought.

"Wow…they'll let anyone in this place these days," Joyce told them in her irritating, nasally tone. "No wonder they have roaches."

"Sorry Joyce…you're too early. They don't throw out the stale rolls until closing time," Stephanie jabbed back. "Just make sure your back before the trash pick up."

"I guess I should be _grateful_ that I ran into you today," Joyce continued as she examined her manicure. "Saves me the time of contacting you."

"Why don't you really _save_ yourself the time, and just stay away from me."

"Not until I get my car back. Dickie _gave_ me that Mustang. You got another one from your babies' daddy…_Rico Suave_…or whatever that beaner's name is. Or maybe you don't know who the father is…"

"First, his name is _Carlos_. All of your ex-husbands put together couldn't even shine one of his shoes. And second…Dickie gave me back my car…the one he _stole_ from me. If he cares about you so much…let him buy you a new one. Dickie doesn't care about anyone but himself. That's a trait that you should be very familiar with," Stephanie spat back. Why did she let this bitch always push her buttons?

Joyce titled her head back and smiled. "Don't get so high and mighty with me, Stephanie _Plum_. Oh…that's right…you don't know your _real_ last name. Most _unwanted_, adopted kids never do."

"Joyce!" Valerie cut in. "That's low even for you. You know damn well that neither Stephanie nor I are adopted."

"Well…_you_ might not be…but Stephanie was. I have proof," Joyce insisted.

Stephanie's stomach churned. The screaming from her spidey senses reverberated in her ears. Somehow she knew…Joyce spoke the truth.

"I found the file at Dickie's. Apparently, his father handled the adoption. To pay for his silence, your _new_ mother promised you would marry his son." She threw her head back and laughed. "I always knew you were a bastard!"

Her mother had always favored Valerie. Stephanie always felt like a second-class citizen in her own family. After years of being treated like the proverbial black sheep, it all made perfect sense. She never had a _real_ connection with her mother because she wasn't her _real_ child. Images of her childhood flashed before her eyes with Joyce's cackle as the soundtrack. Before she could stop herself, her fist connected with Joyce's nose once again.

Stephanie spun on her heel and ran for the SUV. Valerie hurried to catch up.

"It's all a lie, Stephanie. How can you even possibly believe Joyce? She's just saying that to get you upset!"

Both hopped into the SUV and slammed the doors.

"What's wrong, Bomber?" Ram asked.

"Take me to my parents' house right now!" Stephanie demanded.

Valerie tried to reason with Stephanie on the ride to their parents. The five minute drive felt like an hour. Before Ram came to a complete stop, Stephanie jumped from the SUV and dashed into the house. She heard her mother in the kitchen washing dishes. Helen turned to acknowledge her arrival as Stephanie attacked.

"Am I adopted?"

The look on her mother's face said it all.

"Not only _didn't_ you tell me…but you _sold_ me…like hush money…to Dickie Orr?"

Helen Plum paled as she eased herself onto a kitchen chair. Grandma Mazur appeared in the doorway.

"What's going on here? What about that dickless wonder you married?" she asked.

"Mom?" Valerie pleaded. "_Tell_ Stephanie it _isn't_ true. _Tell_ her that Joyce made up all those _lies_ just to be mean."

"I-I'm sorry, Stephanie. We should have told you a long time ago," Helen whispered.

"It's true?" Valerie's hand flew to her mouth to stifle a gasp.

"Why am I _not_ surprised?" Stephanie growled. "You treated me like shit my whole life. So why not let me be _fucking_ humiliated by Joyce Barnhardt? Not only do I get to find out that you adopted me…but all of Trenton's gonna know, too!"

"Stephanie," Helen begged, "let me explain…"

"No…it's a little late for that, _Mom_," Stephanie hissed. "I don't want to hear a _damn_ thing that you have to say."

She charged through the house and wrenched the front door open with a bang. Valerie followed her in a panic.

"Stephanie! Wait!"

"Not now, Val," Stephanie warned.

Her head buzzed as the world appeared to twirl around it. The news totally shut down all her brain functions. She didn't know what to do, how to feel, where to go, or who she was. Lost, she felt lost. She didn't even realize that she walked past the SUV. Ram and Woody called to her, but their sounds never made it to her ears.

Stephanie ran a hand through her thick mop of curls. She wanted to call Ranger, but her purse sat on the backseat of the SUV. At least she thought it did. She could have dropped it at the bakery after smashing Joyce's face again. At least _one_ good thing happened that day! _Just go home_, a rational voice told her. Ranger would make everything okay. He always did.

Looking down at asphalt, she didn't realize that she had been pacing in the gutter in front of the neighbor's driveway. Valerie stood frozen by her side. The shocking news took both of them by surprise. Figures, Stephanie finally had gotten close to her sister only to find out they weren't even related.

"Steph?"

"I just want to go home," she whispered. "I really don't want to talk about this right now."

Stephanie began to move towards the SUV when she caught a flash of white out of the corner of her eye. Ram and Woody shouted something that she couldn't make out. Again, it felt like time slowed. A small, white SUV barreled towards Valerie.

Without thinking, Stephanie sprung into action. "Val! Look out!"

She shoved Valerie out of the path of the speeding vehicle but failed to get clear. The left corner of the vehicle struck the lower, right side of her belly. The initial impact smacked her head on the hood. Then the SUV's forward momentum knocked her backwards onto the curb. Instantly, Stephanie's legs went numb. The stabbing pain in her abdomen took her breath away. A red stain began to bloom between her legs. _No! Please let this be a bad dream_, her mind screamed.

Tank got the call and ran up the four flights of stairs when Ranger didn't answer his phone. He nearly broke the front door down entering the apartment. Ranger emerged from his dressing room as he fastened his utility belt.

"What the…" Ranger began with a frown but stopped when he saw the look on Tank's face.

"Let's go. Stephanie was hit by a car. It sounds bad. We got a truck ready to roll," Tank huffed.

The blank mask slammed into place after a brief flash of pain. Ranger's self-defense mechanism. Tank knew it was the only way Ranger would be able to function. When it came to Stephanie, Ranger had little control. His own rules ceased to exist.

Ram had called Tank after he couldn't reach Ranger. He loved Stephanie like a little sister. Bile rose in the back of his throat as Ram gave his frantic report. He needed to stay calm and focused. He needed to keep it together for his friends. Especially if the outcome was the worst case scenario.


	36. Chapter 36

**Author's Note:** Once again, I'm so sorry for the delay. I've been slowly working on this chapter, but it's been hard writing with all the headaches I've been getting. Turns out, I have TMJ and possibly a side order of trigeminal and/or glossopharyngeal neuralgia. How wonderful for me! I did do a final edit, but if there are mistakes…I blame the medication. And those two puppies still demand a lot of my attention. I am NOT abandoning this story. The next chapter will wrap things up, and I'll give you a dessert with an epilogue. Thanks for all the wonderful reviews and PMs. I never expected what your feedback would mean to me when I posted my very first story, From the Beginning. You guys totally rock!

**Chapter 36**

The ER at St. Francis could be hit or miss. The waiting room could be filled to capacity, or a small to moderate amount of patients could be found. It must have been a slow day in Trenton. Ram and Woody immediately jumped to their feet as Ranger and Tank burst through the entrance.

"Where is she?" Ranger demanded.

Ram hooked his thumb at the double doors behind him. Ram was one of his most dependable men. He never got rattled. Always able to remain calm in a crisis. Ram's ghostly pallor and red-rimmed eyes unnerved him. He needed to get to Stephanie ASAP. Not just for her…but for him.

"Sir! You can't go back there!" the receptionist called after him.

Ranger didn't even look in her direction as he barreled through the doors. No need to search for her, her wailing cries came from the trauma room in the back. His legs felt rooted to the floor as his heartbeat thudded in his ears. Fear held him in place. The fear about what he would find in that trauma room. The feeble cry of _Carlos_ forced him to move. Just like he could sense her presence, she must have known he was there.

The same ER doctor that treated her gunshot wound had taken charge in this case. He nodded to Ranger then barked a few more orders to the staff. Stephanie had been placed on a backboard. Cervical collar in place. Board tilted her towards her left side. Her cries began to taper off.

The doctor hurried over to Ranger and led him by the arm to just outside the door.

"Is she all right? What's wrong?" Ranger asked as he looked at Stephanie over the doctor's shoulder.

"It was reported that she was struck by a car. She was hit in the lower right quadrant and thrown back onto the curb. She reported no feeling in her legs…"

Ranger felt as if the ground shifted. The doctor's tightening grip brought him back.

"Is she…_paralyzed_?" he whispered.

"I don't know for sure, but I don't think so. I don't feel any step-offs, and she has intact reflexes and rectal tone. We'll have to do an MRI, but we need her to be completely still. We prefer not to do x-rays or CTs because the target is the pelvic area."

"What about the babies?"

He wiped the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand. "She's had some bleeding, but it's slowing. I've called for OB, and we'll get an ultrasound done. Is her doctor affiliated with this hospital?"

Ranger shook his head. "My sister, Dr. Selma Ortiz. She's on staff at St. Peter's in New Brunswick."

"We'll contact her after we get the testing done." He paused to look at his vibrating pager.

"The other concern I have is the severity of her head injury. Back to back concussions can be very dangerous. She scared and in pain, that's expected. But she's confused. Some of the things she's saying don't make sense. When I called her Miss Plum, she told me that wasn't her name. I don't want you to get in the way, but if you can keep her calm…it would help get these studies done. Then we'll know what we're dealing with."

Ranger agreed, and the doctor stepped aside to let him re-enter the room.

"We gave her some Demerol. It will help with the pain but also calm her down. It looks like it's taking effect."

"Babe?"

She struggled to open her newly weighted, eye lids. "C-Carlos?"

"I'm here, Babe." He grabbed her hand.

"I-I-I'm sorry!" she wailed.

He almost dropped to his knees. He could handle the worst of what she might have to go through…losing one or both of the babies or being paralyzed. But he couldn't handle when she blamed herself. It struck him like a knife to the heart.

"It's _not_ your fault. _Stop_ blaming yourself," he told her in a more harsh tone than he intended.

"It _is_ my fault. Y-you're always telling me to be more aware of my surroundings…I w-wasn't paying attention," she whined.

He didn't know if it was the head injury, the drugs, or her heightened state of distress.

"I can't move my legs, and I'm bleeding!" she forced out between sobs.

Ranger swallowed hard and fought for control. "Listen to me, Babe. The doctor said they need to do some tests on you. He's not sure that you are paralyzed. We need you to calm down, so they can do the MRI and the ultrasound. Can you do that for me?"

"I'm scared," she cried.

"I know you are. It's normal to be scared. I'm scared. I need to you reach down deep. I need you to be strong now. The twins need you to be strong," Ranger soothed.

"What d-does the doctor think?" she asked as she tried to get herself under control.

"He said that the bleeding has slowed. They're going to do an ultrasound," he explained as he wiped her tears away.

"What about m-my legs? I can't feel them."

"The MRI will show us what's wrong. He said that you still have reflexes, so that's a good sign." He purposely left out the part about the rectal tone. She didn't need to know that the doctor inserted his finger into her butt. No sense adding to her stress level.

"It feels so weird," she slurred. "Like they're asleep."

The Demerol appeared to have the right effect. Her lids began to close. Keeping her sedated was the way to go. Especially if the results turned out to be bad.

"Carlos?"

"I'm still here, Babe. I'm not going anywhere. Don't fight the medication. Just get some rest," he told her.

"Will you still love me?"

Ranger frowned. "I'll always love you, Stephanie Plum."

Her face contorted as new tears fell. "That's just it. I'm _not_ a Plum. I was adopted."

Totally unaware of the situation with Stephanie, Lester finally awoke. He took his sweet old time getting ready for work. Ranger told them to take the morning off. That didn't happen often, so he intended to take full advantage of it.

The tension smacked him in the face the second he opened the door to the 5th floor. His recently eaten breakfast began to sour in his stomach. Now what?

Hal and Bobby rounded the corner, almost knocking him over.

"What's going on?" Lester demanded.

"Bomber was hit by a car," Bobby told him as he pulled him back into the staircase. "Let's go."

Bobby filled him in on the ride to the hospital. Lester's heart sank. It sounded really bad. Their argument played over and over again in his head. He never got to apologize last night. Stephanie was one of his best friends, and he wasn't there for her.

Even though Joe enjoyed his visitors, the quiet mornings gave him time to himself. He just finished his session with the physical therapist. He couldn't believe that walking around the unit a few times could be so exhausting. Stephanie was right. He had to stop being so hard on himself. They told him he not only was lucky to be alive, but had progressed better than expected. He still had to push himself though. He had to be in tip-top form for the FBI Academy.

Sighing, he shuffled over to the sink to wash up for the day. Hopefully, his mother would bring him some tee shirts and sweat pants from home today. Those hospital gowns had to go. As he finished shaving, Annemarie burst into his room.

"I don't want to fight again, Annemarie," Joe warned as he turned to finish his task.

"I didn't come here to fight with you," she insisted.

She settled into the recliner beside the bed as he wiped the residual shaving cream from his face. She handed him a large coffee from Starbucks.

"Thanks," he said. "The coffee here is worse than down the station. I didn't think that was even possible."

He tried to lighten the mood. She brought the coffee as a peace offering. The screaming match they had last night even scared the staff. Joe finally kicked her out of his room, and they hadn't spoken since. The fight stopped short of breaking up.

"I'm sorry about yesterday." She finally broke the silence.

When he didn't respond, she continued. "I just thought we had something special. You said you wanted to get married and have a family soon. I want the same thing. I don't understand what's going on."

Joe eased himself back in the bed. "I do want those things, but the FBI is something I've wanted all my life. I'm sorry, Annemarie. I'm not giving that up for you or anyone."

"You could have asked _me _to house sit for you. I feel like you keep pushing me away."

"And I feel like _you_ keep pushing your way into my life." Joe ran a hand through his hair as he watched her frown.

"Well maybe _you_ need a little push. You're 33 now, Joe. Play time is over. Time to act like a grown up."

Okay, it's time, he told himself. He was so over this crap. Who the fuck did she think she was telling him to grow up? She wanted a grown up? Let's see how she liked this grown up move!

"You're right, Annemarie. How's this for acting like a grown up? I'm done. I work hard at my job. I've been supporting myself since I'm 18 years old. I don't need you or anyone else telling me to grow the fuck up!" Joe growled.

Annemarie's jaw fell in her lap. "Y-you're breaking up with me?"

"Yeah," he replied. "We've only been dating a couple of months. You have no right to tell me how to run my life, and I'm sick of it. And I'm tired of you treating my family and friends like crap. Well…it ends today."

Annemarie jumped to her feet and threw her coffee into the trash. "No one breaks up with me. You're making a huge mistake, Joseph Morelli!"

Fortunately, Joe's cell phone interrupted the tense moment. Eddie told him about Stephanie.

"Is she here?" he asked.

"Yeah. I don't know what's wrong…just that it's bad," Eddie replied.

Joe snapped his phone shut and tossed it on the nightstand. He struggled to his feet.

"What was that about?" Annemarie demanded.

"Stephanie was hit by a car."

"Where are you going?"

He pushed past her on his way to the door. "The ER."

"Don't you dare walk away from me!" Annemarie hissed.

Morelli paused in the doorway. "Watch me."

Ranger stroked Stephanie's hair. The whole situation felt like a bad dream. An occasional whimper escaped from her lips. Adopted? Her head injury must be worse than the doctors imagined. The door behind him opened, and a young OB resident pushed an ultrasound machine into the trauma room. No way. He wanted the attending to evaluate Stephanie. He had no patience for an inexperienced kid. Stephanie hadn't had the best of luck with residents at this hospital.

The young girl must have sensed his distain. "I'm Dr. Kelly. Dr. Fisher will be here in a minute. I…I just wanted to get everything set up."

Ranger gave her a nod.

"We're going to get an ultrasound first. We'll need to do a pelvic exam, but Dr. Fisher wants to wait until we know more about her back injury."

Ranger moved towards the head of the stretcher to give the resident room to set up.

"Do you know what you're having?"

"We just know that one is a boy," Ranger explained.

An older physician made his way over to the resident. "I'm Dr. Fisher."

Ranger shook his extended hand. "Carlos Manoso."

"I see that Selma Ortiz is her doctor. I used to work with her at St. Peter's. I'll give her a call after my exam," he explained.

"Selma's my sister," Ranger said.

Dr. Fisher smiled. "Now that you mention it, I can see the resemblance."

Somehow, Dr Fisher's connection to Selma helped to put Ranger's mind at ease. He watched as the doctor checked the blood flow between Stephanie's legs.

"It's just about stopped," he told Ranger.

"Is she losing the babies?"

"We're going to do the ultrasound and look for heartbeats from both fetuses. I can't do a pelvic yet to see if the cervix is open. I suspect she may have an abruption."

Ranger frowned. "What's that?"

"That's when the placenta separates from the uterus. It could be mild to severe." He turned to the resident. "You ready?"

She nodded. Dr. Fisher gently put his hand on Stephanie's shoulder.

"Miss Plum?"

Stephanie groaned.

"I'm Dr. Fisher, and this is Dr. Kelly. We're going to do an ultrasound now."

"Carlos?" she said groggily.

"Right here, Babe. The doctors are going to check the babies now. Just hold my hand and try to stay still…okay?"

"Okay," she barely whispered. The Demerol had her schnockered.

"All right…you're going to feel some cold gel now."

Ranger held his breath as the doctor moved the transducer around her belly. It didn't take this long last time to find a heartbeat. Not a good sign.

"Her position makes this a little more difficult," Dr. Fisher told him.

If Stephanie had been more alert, she would have marveled at this man's ESP ability. It sure impressed him.

"Are they okay?" she murmured. "I don't hear anything."

As if they wanted to put their parents as ease, a heartbeat filled the room. The doctor gently moved around the large bruise on her abdomen.

"Sorry if that hurts. I'm sure this area is a little tender, but this little one's doing fine. She's probably a fighter…like her mother," he told them.

"She?" Ranger lip's twitched into a slight smile.

"Yes…this fetus is a girl."

"Hamburger," Stephanie slurred.

Ranger squeezed her hand.

Dr. Fisher smirked. "You didn't know?"

"Selma could only see that one of the twins was a boy at her last ultrasound," Ranger admitted.

He pointed to the screen. "This darkened area is a small abruption. It's low in the uterus and near the cervix. That's why you had some bleeding."

"A girl? Did you say _a girl_?" Stephanie cried out as she became more alert. "Am I going to lose her?"

"I see a lot of bed rest in your future…and _possibly_ an early delivery, but no…she's got a strong heartbeat and looks good. Let's check out the other one," Dr. Fisher explained.

"We're getting our Ricky and Rosie, Babe…just like you wanted," Ranger whispered in her ear.

Another heartbeat pounded through the speaker. "Here's her brother…and he looks good, too."

Stephanie took a deep breath, her chest hitched a few times before she blew it out. One crisis averted, now to find out about her legs. She didn't want to seem ungrateful for the twins being okay. If losing the use of her legs was the sacrifice she had to make for their lives, so be it.

"What happens now?" Ranger queried.

"Next, we need to get the MRI. But for my part, it's bed rest. We'll do another ultrasound tomorrow to check the abruption. See if it's getting bigger, or if it's shrinking. It's clotting off, and the body should absorb it. If she starts to bleed again, we'll repeat it sooner. This wasn't spontaneous, so typically, it shouldn't worsen. It was the result of a trauma to the abdomen. Time and bed rest should take care of it. Do you have Selma's number?"

"I'll call her," Ranger insisted as he took out his phone.

He felt a duty to tell Selma what happened and not let her hear it from someone else. Even if she did know this doctor. Selma fired off several questions at once.

"Here…I'm going to let you talk to Dr. Fisher," Ranger interrupted her and handed him the phone.

The x-ray tech walked Valerie back to her cubicle. The tears continued to flow at a steady pace. The pain in her heart eclipsed the pain in her wrist. She felt so alone. She knew Tank sent for Hal, but she needed Stephanie. How could their parents keep this from them? People adopted children all the time. There had to be more to it. She and Stephanie _looked_ like sisters. Valerie, distracted by her thoughts, bumped into another patient…Joyce Barnhardt.

"Wud are you doing here!" Joyce demanded. She sported two black eyes and a huge bandaged across her nose.

Anger boiled up through Valerie's body all the way from her toes. Joyce had started this whole thing. Valerie felt as if an evil presence had taken control of her body. Before she knew what was happening, her fist connected with Joyce's nose.

"You…you…_see you next Tuesday_!" Valerie screamed at the tops of her lungs.

Valerie cocked her arm back to take another swing, but the stunned ER staff finally sprang into action.

"Now what?" Ranger muttered under his breath.

Stephanie let out a sigh. "Valerie just called someone a cunt. She _can't_ say the word, so she _spells_ it. See you next Tuesday…see ewe ehn tee."

Ranger smirked. He absently stroked her thigh.

Stephanie's eyes widened. "Are you touching my leg?"

He jerked his hand back involuntarily. "Did I hurt you?"

"No!" she half cried half laughed. "I…I felt it."

Ranger ran his hand down her thigh and gently squeezed her knee. "Can you feel this?"

Tears of joy welled in her eyes. "Yes! Oh my God, Carlos….maybe I won't be paralyzed. I couldn't feel anything before!"

"Can you wiggle your toes?"

Nothing moved. He squeezed her foot. "Are you touching my foot?"

"Your toes didn't move, but you can feel me?"

"I can feel like a pressure."

He removed his hand. "How about now?"

A panicked look came over her face. "No…I can't feel you now!"

He quickly replaced his hand and squeezed her toes. Relief washed over her face.

"I feel that," she quickly told him.

"I wasn't touching you before, Babe. It's not a fluke. You can really feel me when I am touching you," he excitedly explained.

Defeated Stephanie had left the building. Her spirit returned now that she had a glimmer of hope. Not only were the twins okay, they learned that the player to be named later would complete their dream of having Ricky and Rosie. And now…the feeling appeared to be returning to her legs. It still didn't mean she wouldn't have any permanent damage, but it had to be a good sign. Ranger yanked the door open and poked his head out to call for the doctor.

The waiting room was standing room only. Half the room contained a sea of black and blue with Rangeman and Trenton Police. Lester found an empty seat in the corner by the vending machines. It felt like they had been sitting there all frickin' day, but it had only been a couple of hours. Ranger still hadn't sent Tank an update, so they all assumed the worst.

"Do you work for Manoso?"

Lester's head popped up. A familiar looking weasel stood before him. It took a second or two before Lester realized it was the reporter that bestowed Stephanie with the nickname of the Bombshell Bounty Hunter of Trenton. Ranger would be in no mood to deal with this punk.

"If you think he's going to give you an exclusive right now…"

The reported cut him off. "I've got pictures of the Honda that hit her. License plate and all. I'm sure that would be worth something to him."

Lester jumped up, but before he could respond Joe Morelli did.

"Turn over those pictures now, and you won't be charged with obstructing justice," Morelli warned.

He scanned the room and caught Eddie's attention.

"I'm protected by the First Amendment, Morelli," he smirked. "Nice uniform. Where do you put your gun?"

"How about I read you your _Santos Rights_," Lester told him sternly. "You have the right to have your face smashed in…."

"What's going on?" Eddie asked.

"This maggot's got photos of the vehicle that hit Steph. He's trying to extort money from Manoso for them," Morelli explained.

Eddie pulled out his cuffs and slapped one on the reporter's wrist.

"What are you doing?"

"You're under arrest. I'm taking you down to the station," Eddie said as he spun him around and attached the other cuff.

"For what? I have rights you know!"

"I'll think of something. It would go a lot faster if you just hand over those pictures. Otherwise, we'll have to release the video we have of you having sex with dogs."

Lester's, Morelli's, and the reporter's eyes widened.

"Photoshop is a wonderful thing. And the public thinks we just drive around and stop at doughnut shops," Eddie said with a wink.

"Okay! Okay! Okay," he agreed. "I'll show you the pictures. Just don't spread something like that around. I'll have PETA on my ass. Those people are worse than the fat ladies in the candy aisle at Wegmans."

"What's your name, asshole," Morelli asked.

"Richard. Richard Hertz."

Lester frowned. Eddie started to laugh.

"What's your _real_ name, asshole," Morelli demanded.

"That _is_ my real name. Go ahead. Make jokes. I had to live with that stupid name all my life. Oh…who's Dick Hertz? Ha ha ha. Real fuckin' funny!"

Lester just shook his head. "And here I hated growing up with the name Lester. But I have to say…_Dick_ is the perfect name for you."


	37. Chapter 37

**Chapter 37**

Ranger couldn't stay in the room with Stephanie during the MRI. After another dose of Demerol and the adrenaline let down from the day's trauma, she finally fell into a restful sleep. He needed to update a waiting room full of anxious people anyway.

"Carlos?"

He turned to see Valerie, sitting on a stretcher while two residents casted her broken arm. Hal jumped to his feet and stood at attention. Ranger didn't realize that Valerie had been injured as well.

"How is Stephanie?" she pleaded.

"She's getting the MRI now. The babies are fine, and she's getting feeling back in her legs," he told them.

"Oh thank God," she muttered.

"What happened?"

All Ranger knew about the situation was that Stephanie got hit by a car. Well, that was all he cared about until now.

Valerie's lower lip began to quiver, and fresh tears ran down the dried tracks of the old ones.

"It was just _horrible_," she cried. "First, Joyce told us that Stephanie was adopted. Then our mother confirmed it. Stephanie was so upset that she ran out of the house. I tried to calm her down, and this white…uh…car or SUV…or maybe it was one of those crossover things…I don't know what to call it…comes out of nowhere."

Valerie paused to catch her breath. Her chest hitched several times before she continued.

"Then…s-s-she pushed me out of the way. Everything happened so fast. That car or whatever drove away. She couldn't move, and she started bleeding…" she trailed off again to blow her nose.

Ranger took everything in. He thought Stephanie had been confused because of the concussion. Now he understood why Stephanie had been an emotional wreck.

"It's not fair," Valerie whined. "We're finally acting like real sisters now…"

Ranger cut her off. "You _are_ sisters, Valerie. Blood doesn't mean a thing Believe me."

For the longest time, Ranger had no connection with his own daughter. His _own_ blood. Even though he continued to try to work on it, he would never have the relationship with Julie that he would with the twins. Ron wasn't Julie's biological father, but he had more of a connection than Ranger would ever have. He never expected Julie's outburst though. He never thought Julie would ever feel abandoned because Ron raised her from such a young age.

Stephanie's strained relationship with her mother finally came into focus. Most people that adopted a baby desperately wanted that child. Ranger sensed something unusual about the whole situation. Besides…it involved Stephanie. Nothing in her life was ever simple.

"Can I see her when she gets back?"

The sound of Valerie's voice brought him back to the present.

He gave her a curt nod. "I have to update, Tank."

Ranger gazed at the sea of anxious faces in the waiting room. Frank and Helen Plum pushed their way through the crowd.

"Carlos," Frank breathed. "How is she? Are the babies okay?"

He looked back and forth between their worried expressions. Until they straightened this adoption mess out, Ranger refused to exclude them.

"Yes," he told everyone. "Stephanie was hit in the stomach and knocked back on the curb. She had some bleeding, but it's stopped. She lost the feeling in her legs…"

Complexions paled, curses sworn, and a chatter rose in the crowd. Helen crossed herself and grabbed Frank's arm. Ranger put up his hand to quiet and calm them.

"She's getting an MRI now, but she's starting to get the feeling back in her legs. The doctor said she still had intact reflexes and didn't think she was paralyzed."

"What about the babies?" Tank asked.

"They did an ultrasound and saw where the bleeding was. But the doctor thinks that clot will shrink. My son and daughter are fine."

He paused for a second to let that sink in. It didn't take long before being blinded by all the light bulbs going off over everyone's head.

"The player to be named later has been named," Tank joked. "God help any boy that looks in her direction."

"When can we see her?" Lester asked.

Ranger noticed Joe Morelli for the first time. He clung to Lester's arm for support. He looked like he just ran a marathon.

"I don't know. They have a few more tests to do after the MRI. Then we'll see."

Disappointed faces nodded in agreement. He couldn't blame them. They all loved Stephanie and just wanted to see for themselves that she was okay. He would let Stephanie make the decision. She might not be up for visitors…physically or emotionally.

Ranger gave a curt nod and started head back to Stephanie's room when he felt a hand on his arm.

"She told you…didn't she?" Frank asked him in a voice barely above a whisper.

"Yes."

"I need to talk to her, Carlos. She needs to hear the whole story…from me," he pleaded.

"Frank," Ranger sighed as he squeezed his shoulder. "I don't know if _now_ is the right time."

Seeing the same defeated look on Frank's face that he saw in Stephanie was a little unsettling. He had to shake it off. Stephanie needed him strong. She was his number one priority.

A nurse handed Valerie her discharge instructions. She snatched them from the nurse's hand and ran over to Ranger.

"Can I see her now?"

Thankfully, he could see the empty room. "She's not back yet. I think we should wait until all the tests are done first. Then we'll see if she's up to it."

Another disappointed face. Everyone looked to him for support and guidance. He was a leader. Normally, he could handle it. Rules always went out the window when it came to his Stephanie. He needed someone in his corner. He needed his brother Raoul.

He pulled out his phone as he sank into the chair in the corner of the trauma room. He knew as soon as Raoul heard the news, he'd be on the next plane. And somewhere deep down, Ranger counted on that.

He scrolled through his address list and started to push call but paused. He couldn't bring himself to repeat what had happened out loud. When he said it over and over, it felt like it happened to her all over and over again. He took the easy way out and sent a text.

When it looked as if Morelli might pass out, Lester insisted he go back to his room. "At least go upstairs and lay down for a while. I'll call you when I hear something."

"You could come back later," Valerie urged. "You're not going to do Stephanie any good if you don't take care of yourself."

Morelli, too weak to argue, allowed his Rangeman guards to help him to his feet. "Call me the second you hear anything."

"I will," Lester promised.

A familiar looking woman entered the waiting room. She sported a lab coat with the hospital's chaplain insignia on the left pocket. She made her way towards Lester.

"You're Lester…right?"

He nodded. "I'm sorry. You look familiar but I can't remember where I've seen you before."

"I'm Yolanda. We met at the fish fry. You were with Xylia," she reminded him.

Lester winced. Here it comes, he thought to himself, she's going either bash me for dumping her or feel sorry for me for being gay.

She gestured to the empty chair next to him, and he nodded to her.

"Are you waiting for a family member or friend?"

Okay, not what he expected. "Uh…yeah. She's pregnant and was hit by a car."

She took his hand. "I'll keep her in my prayers. And I'm sorry that it didn't work out with Xylia. I can't say that I'm surprised though."

Lester frowned. "Well…we just…um…she's…yeah…well you know how it is."

"Xylia is a very nice and caring person. She didn't have an easy life. Her faith got her through it. That can be a good thing, but I think she would have been better off with some professional help," Yolanda admitted.

"So…it's not just me," Lester breathed. "She's kind of a Jesus freak. And she uh…didn't ever want…uh…to…well…um…_consummate_ the relationship."

Yolanda dropped her eyes. "She never told you about her past. Did she?"

Lester shook his head. "What happened?"

"Xylia's father left her and her mother when she was a little girl. He got some other woman pregnant with twins. He wouldn't admit it at first. He kept telling her mother that they were just friends. He came clean when he couldn't hide his pregnant girlfriend anymore. Well that and the fact that he gambled away practically everything they owned. It was very hard on both of them."

Like he didn't feel bad enough today already! No wonder she had such a problem with Stephanie and the twins…and Atlantic City.

"They went to live with her grandparents who were very religious. When Xylia was 10, her mother was killed in a car accident. She was hit by a drunk driver."

Lester's head began to ache. He'd bet that driver had been drinking the Devil's Blood too. The more Yolanda added to Xylia's horrific past, the more he felt like his eyes would explode. And the more he felt like a piece of shit for all the things he said to her.

"I had no idea," he sighed. "She never told me about her parents."

"Then I guess she never told you the rest of it," Yolanda added.

Lester rolled his eyes despite the pain. It got worse? "No, she didn't."

"I'm only telling you this because I think you need to hear it. Xylia really does have a good heart, but her grandparents thought the Lord was all she needed. I have strong faith, but I also know that God helps those that help themselves. Sometimes, we need professional help to heal."

"What happened?" Lester urged.

"The first boy Xylia dated forced himself on her. Luckily, she didn't get pregnant. Her grandparents told her that if she wanted to get to Heaven, she couldn't ever have sex again. That it was a sin." Yolanda paused to rub her temples.

Lester began to squirm like a slug that someone had poured salt on it.

"When her grandparents died, they left everything to the church. That's when she decided to move to Jersey. All she ever had was her faith and books. I've tried to convince her to see someone. I've even recommended several good therapists, but she refused. It's such a shame, too. I think she has a lot of love to give."

It was official. Lester felt worse than maggots on a dead homeless man's dick. All Xylia's fucked up behavior finally made some sense. Well…all but the _never have sex_ part. Somehow, he would never understand celibacy. He thought Xylia was a virgin. It tore him apart to hear that her first, and only, sexual encounter had been date rape. And all the _Christ-O-Gram_ texts! She learned that stupid shit from her grandparents. He should have just stayed in bed and hid from the world today.

Ranger knew that seconds after he hit the send button on his text to Raoul his phone would ring. Raoul didn't disappoint. If the kids didn't have ball games and other activities, Marissa and his children would have been on the plane with him that day. Ranger gave a half-hearted attempt to argue when Raoul told him he was booking his fight as he spoke. Knowing that Raoul would be by his side and be his rock, the tension in his body eased a bit. He felt like he had been wound up like a spring all day.

A nurse and tech wheeled Stephanie back in as he wrapped up his conversation with Raoul. The nurse explained they had given her another dose of pain medication. She had some difficulty laying flat on her back, and they needed her to stay still. Just as well. The rest would do her good, and it put off dealing with her family.

Morelli felt like he had just fallen asleep when his phone rang. He lunged for the nightstand and groaned. Damn that hurt! He answered it on the third ring.

"Morelli," he grunted.

"What happened with you and the social worker?" Juniak demanded.

"Huh? What are you talking about?"

"She just filed a complaint with the department. She claimed you sexually assaulted her," he explained.

Morelli shook with rage. "That fucking bitch! I never _assaulted_ her. We've been dating for a couple of months. That's it. She's trying to get back at me because I kicked her ass to the curb this morning."

"Jesus, Morelli," Juniak groaned. "Didn't anyone teach you that you don't shit where you eat?"

"And how the hell was I supposed to attack her with a friggin' bullet hole in my chest?" Morelli growled.

He couldn't believe it. He should have dumped her the second he got that _Fatal Attraction_ vibe. Annemarie didn't want him going to the FBI Academy and did everything in her power to stop him. Having a sexual assault charge on his record would be a sure way for the Academy drop him.

"Internal Affairs will get your side of the story. Your reputation with women and family history aren't going to help you. I'll do whatever I can to get you out of this. This could hurt your chances of getting in the Academy, you know," Juniak said.

"I didn't have a chance to tell you," Morelli began. "I _got_ accepted. They waived the test for me based on my record, military background, and references. But a charge like that can get me kicked out before I even get there."

"How'd you pull that one off?" Juniak wondered. "Oh…let me guess…Manoso."

Morelli remained silent. He knew Juniak would get the message.

"Understood. Have you heard anything more about Stephanie Plum?"

"She was getting more tests when I came back to my room. The babies are fine. Manoso said she was getting some sensation back in her legs…thank God. Did they look at those pictures from that sleaze bag yet?"

He heard Juniak chuckle. "You mean Dick Hertz? Yeah, they're running the plates now."

Morelli thought for a moment. "Should I get an attorney?"

"Let me feel things out with IA first. But it might not be a bad idea. Maybe Manoso can check her out. Something feels weird about this, but I can't put my finger on it."

Morelli took a deep breath and slowly blew it out. "I think he's got his hands full right now with Stephanie. I'll see if I can make some calls myself. Oh…tell IA that I'm willing to take a lie detector test. I'll bet _she'll_ refuse." 

"That might help your case. Since the world has become _politically correct_, judges are out to get misogynistic cops. We got your back, Morelli. It also helps that no one seems to like her."

"What happens now?"

"Don't talk to anyone until you hear back from me. If IA comes to talk to you, tell them you're on pain medications. Something. Anything," Juniak warned.

"Got it. I'll talk to you later." Morelli tossed his phone back on the nightstand.

He didn't do anything to Annemarie. But when it came down to his word against hers, anything could happen. Even when the charges were dropped or unsubstantiated in these cases, guys still got tagged as rapists. If she thought he would roll over and take it, Annemarie didn't know him at all.

Stephanie slowly came around again. The morgue-like chill and the rigid stretcher, in addition to her aches from head to toe, harshly reminded her of the day's traumatic events. Instead of feeling nothing, a mild, but annoying, tingle trickled down the backs of her thighs. Thankfully, the stomach cramping had eased.

She didn't have to look around to find Ranger. He dutifully sat beside her. Her heart broke as she studied his face. He looked spent. How much more would he be able to handle? The special connection they shared must have kicked in. His eyes cut to hers.

"Hey," she whispered in a course tone.

He rose up and kissed her. "Hey back. How do you feel, Babe?"

"Okay…how are you?"

He slid his fingers through hers and brought the back of her hand to his lips.

"Better," he admitted. "Raoul will be here in a couple of hours."

She closed her eyes and smiled. "Good. You'll be here for me, and Raoul can be there for you."

Asking for emotional help was new for Ranger. It pleased her that he finally understood that asking for help make him stronger…not weaker. She also accepted that she couldn't offer him the support he needed in her condition.

"I'll always be here for you."

"Did the doctor get the results of the MRI yet?" she asked hesitantly. She didn't know if she wanted to hear it.

He shook his head. "Not yet. While we're waiting…are you up for visitors? There's a waiting room full of people dying to see you. Tank, Lester…your family."

New tears dampened her cheeks. "No…I…I just can't deal with anyone right now. Okay? Please…"

"Shhhh…it's okay, Babe. You don't have to see anyone you don't want to," Ranger assured her.

"I can't think about anything else right now," she cried. "It's _too_ much. I only have enough in me to worry about this."

She waved her hand towards her legs. "I'm sorry if that sounds selfish, but I really can't deal with my family…_issues_."

"Val told me what happened," Ranger sighed. "Your parents really want to see you, but I won't let them until you're ready."

"They're _not_ my parents," Stephanie insisted. "I don't know who I am anymore. Why didn't my real parents want me?"

Ranger was never so grateful for his phone to buzz at that moment. He gave up the rights to his own daughter for selfish reasons. What could he possibly say to her to ease her pain?

"It's Selma…I'd better take this," Ranger said.

He gave her a brief update of what little information that he knew.

"I don't have privileges there, Carlos. I spoke to the trauma team here. They agreed to follow her here since she's my patient. That is…if you want to have her transferred once she's been stabilized," Selma offered.

"Hang on a second while I ask her," Ranger told Selma. "Babe, Selma said that she and the trauma team can take care of you at St. Peter's. We'll let the doctors talk once we get all the results in. Would you want to be transferred?"

Stephanie sighed. "Yeah. Getting outta Trenton sounds really good right now. And I'll feel better with Selma taking care of me and the twins."

He had to agree. Having Selma oversee Stephanie's care would really ease some of the tension of the situation. They both trusted her implicitly. It would also limit visitors. Stephanie would have more time to process the shocking news she received today.

"What do we need to do to arrange the transfer?" Ranger asked Selma.

"First, let's get the MRI results to make sure that it would be safe for her to travel. Then have the ER doctor call me," she instructed. "With everything that has gone on, I'll admit her under an alias. What name would you like?"

Ranger didn't have to give it a second thought. He smiled at Stephanie and gave her a wink.

"Diana Prince."

A few seconds after ending his call with Selma, the ER doctor returned. The smile on his face lifted the rest of the oppression tension from his body.

"Good news," he announced. "No damage to the spinal cord."

Ranger muttered something in Spanish under his breath while Stephanie cried out, "Oh thank God!"

"You have a crack in the lower part of the sacral spine but no displacements. The muscles in the area of the impact are ruptured. This created a lot of swelling which is putting pressure on the nerves to your legs. We'll keep up with the ice packs, and I'll talk to Dr. Fisher about steroids…"

Ranger held up a hand to interrupt. "I just spoke with my sister. Since she's Stephanie's doctor, we'd like to talk about having her transferred to St. Peter's in New Brunswick. As long as it's safe."

The doctor nodded. "That won't be a problem at all. Since there is no spine or cord injury, I feel pretty comfortable with that."

"Hello!" Stephanie cut in with a frantic hand wave. "Let's get back to what's wrong with me, and what you can do to fix me. When will I be able to walk again?"

"Sorry," the doctor laughed. "You're already starting to get some sensation back. Did you ever have your foot or leg fall asleep?"

Stephanie nodded.

"I mean into a deep sleep. And the tingling and pins and needles sensation as it starts to wake up? It will feel like that only more intense."

"Swell," she sighed.

"The rupture is not quite a Grade 3, which is the worst, and I don't think you will need surgery. It's going to be a slow process. Being pregnant is what is going to slow it down because you've got a lot of changes going on with your pelvis. But I expect you to make a full recovery. It's bed rest for a couple of days, which you have to do anyway with the abruption. Steroids are used in these cases, so we'll defer what kind to use with the OB team. After OB gives you the okay to get up and around again, you can go to an outpatient rehab center for some physical therapy," he told them.

"That sounds good to me," Ranger agreed.

"How are you doing on pain? Scale of 0 to 10."

"It's about a 4, but I'm good right now. When can I get rid of this neck thing?" she asked.

"Is _right now_ fast enough?" the doctor joked.

He gently removed the cervical collar. He checked for tenderness as he eased her neck through some range of motion. "Any pain?"

"No."

"Good. You can lose the necklace."

"God, that feels so much better," she whispered.

The doctor turned to Ranger. "What's her doctor's name again?"

"Ortiz. Selma Ortiz." Ranger scribbled her number on the back of his business card before handing it to him.

"Transport options are air or ground. I don't know what insurance will cover," the doctor explained sheepishly.

"Air. I'll cover what insurance doesn't pay," Ranger replied flatly.

The doctor nodded. "I'll make the call to get the process rolling. It could take a couple of hours before she leaves."

"Understood."

The doctor nodded again before leaving. Ranger took Stephanie's hand again. He noticed the goose flesh on her arms.

"Cold?"

"Freezing. Why are ERs always so cold!" she whined.

He spied a linen cart in the corner and grabbed a couple of blankets. He spread each one over her then adjusted her pillows.

"I got lucky again," she told him softly. "I could have dealt with not being able to walk as long as the twins were okay. I can't even begin to tell you how relieved I am that we're all going to be okay."

"And here I thought retiring from the service would be dull and boring," Ranger joked.

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "And this is only the beginning. We're having a girl. God help you if she's just like me."

Ranger grinned. "I think I can handle it."

"Ricky and Rosie," she mused. "Our _son_ and our _daughter_. That's what I'm gonna focus on right now. Getting back on my feet and taking care of Ricky and Rosie. That's the most important thing for me. I don't want to think about anything else."

Ranger kissed her. "I need to talk to Bobby and Tank. I'm sure they're anxious to see you, Babe."

Stephanie bit her lower lip. She couldn't bear the thought of seeing anyone now, but it wouldn't be fair to shut them out. Not only were they Ranger's core team, they were his closest friends. Tank, Bobby, and Lester helped Ranger get her back from the black market baby ring. And that psycho religious freak, too. They were _always_ there for her.

"Okay," she agreed. "Is Lester here, too?"

"You know it." He watched as the relief washed over her. "You're going to have to work hard to get back on your feet, Babe. Lester's going to need your help putting him back in the closet."

"He's so not right," she sighed. "Hey…what was the _Diana Prince_ thing all about?"

"Selma thought it would be a good idea to admit you under an alias. You're my Wonder Woman. I thought it was appropriate."

Stephanie rolled her eyes. "I'm not feeling very wonderful right now."

Ranger squeezed her hand. "You will soon enough. I'll be right back."

"Please don't let anyone else back here," she begged. "You can tell them what's going on, but I'm not ready to talk to them yet."

He knew she meant her parents. They were the first ones to rush over to him as he re-entered the waiting room.

"Can we see her now?" Frank asked.

Ranger shook his head. "I'm sorry, Frank. She's not ready yet. The good news is that she doesn't have any damage to her spine. A lot of bruising and swelling."

Frank and Helen both sighed in relief.

"Stephanie's going to be transferred to St. Peter's. This way, my sister can care for her," Ranger explained in a hushed tone.

"That's so far away," Helen whined.

Frank understood. He knew Ranger's sister was her OB doctor, but it also gave Stephanie an escape. She needed time. Stephanie never adjusted well to rapid change. Frank would give her whatever she wanted or take as long as she needed. He only hoped that she could forgive him one day.

Ranger waved over his men.

"She's going to be okay?" Tank asked.

"Yes…thank God," Ranger said. "I need you, Bobby, and Lester to come back with me."

Ram cut in between Bobby and Lester. "Can I see her, too?"

Ram looked like shit. The guilt of Stephanie getting hurt on his watch tormented him. Out of all the people waiting to see her, Ranger would beg Stephanie to let them back if that's what it took. Watching her get hit and thrown to the curb had shaken them to the core.

"They're preparing to transfer her to St. Peter's. I'll make sure you get to see her before she leaves," Ranger promised.

Ram nodded. He drew a deep breath and sighed before sitting back down. Ranger led them back to Stephanie's room. He held them up at the door as the nurse turned and repositioned her.

"I'll get you something to drink," her nurse told her as she readjusted her blankets.

"Thank you. I'm so thirsty," Stephanie admitted.

"Hey, Bombshell," Tank called out in a cheery tone.

Stephanie put on the best smile she could muster. Although she dreaded seeing anyone in her condition, the ice had been broken. She took comfort in seeing her friends.

"How are you feeling, Steph?" Bobby asked.

Tank and Bobby hurried to her bedside and took turns kissing her cheek. Lester hesitated.

"I'm going to be okay…and so are the twins," she said. "That's what counts. Where's Lester? Is he still mad at me?"

They turned towards the door. Stephanie followed their gaze. Lester stood frozen in the door way.

"No, Beautiful," he replied nervously. "I'm not mad at you."

"Then come here," she insisted.

Lester practically flew over to the stretcher. He went to hug her but pulled back. Sensing his fear of causing injury, she reached out to pull him close.

"I'm so sorry, Beautiful," he whispered.

"You have nothing to be sorry about. It was all my fault. I should have never told Xylia that you were gay," Stephanie cried.

Lester wiped his eyes with the back of his hand. "Are you really okay?"

She nodded. "We're gonna be."

Lester smirked. "Good, 'cause I've got a great idea to fix my reputation. Once you're back on your feet, you can help me."

"You know I will," she replied. "What's your idea?"

"I've got a few private…uh…_videos_…of me in action. I get them leaked on the internet, and everyone will see that Lester Santos is so not gay. It will totally go viral and _BAM_…Lester Santos is back to being straight!"

Stephanie frowned. "You want me to help you distribute _Lester porn _on the internet?"

"Santos," Ranger growled.

Lester straightened up.

"You've got to be kidding," Bobby added.

"She doesn't have to _watch_ at it…unless she wants to," Lester insisted. "She just has to help me…you know…get it out there."

Stephanie began to giggle at the absurdity of his request. "Could this day get anymore unreal?"

The nurse returned with a Pepsi.

"Thanks." Stephanie practically sucked down half the soda.

"First, I find out that I'm adopted. Then I get hit by a car. We found out that the player to be named later is a girl. And now I'm going to become a pornographer," she sighed.

"Busy day, Babe," Ranger agreed.

He turned to Lester. "Think of a new plan. You don't want _me_ putting you back in the closet."

Lester shrugged sheepishly. Before he could reply, his phone rang.

"Santos."

"Lester?" a familiar female voice cried.

"Xylia?" His stomach clenched. Everything Yolanda told him came flooding back.

"I…I didn't know who else to call. I've just been arrested," Xylia explained through her tears.

"Arrested? Arrested for what?" Lester demanded.

"Hit and run. The police said that I hit someone with my car. I would never _do_ something like that. I was at work the whole time. I don't understand. What should I do?"

Lester, whose stomach had finally settled down, felt the bile rise in his throat again. Xylia had been arrested for hitting Stephanie. Holy shit! Talk about an unreal day.

"Lester? Are you still there?"

"Uh…yeah," Lester responded. Think fast, Santos. Did he really believe that Xylia could do something like this? Yeah, she was crazier than a shit-house rat, but could she deliberately hurt Stephanie?

"Stephanie was hit by a car today," Lester told her.

Xylia gasped. "Is she okay? Are the twins okay? They took my holy water and my bible when I got here."

"Did you do it?"

"No! How could you even _think_ I would do such a terrible thing?" Xylia scolded.

"Your time's almost up," a male's voice told her.

"Is this your _one_ phone call?" Lester was aghast.

"Yes. I didn't know who else to call. You said you knew about bail bonds. I…I'm sorry that I bothered you."

Lester pinched the bridge of his nose. "No…it's okay. I'll be there as soon as I can. Okay?"

"O-okay," she sniffled.

"Xylia?"

"Yes?"

"I believe you."

"Th-thank you, Lester. I know you don't love me, but I knew I could count on you. Even if you are gay."

Lester cringed. The voice told her time was up, and the phone went dead.

"That was Xylia," he told them. "They arrested her for hitting you."

Ranger's blank mask must have been broken. The anger turned his skin red. Angry Ranger was scary Ranger.

"Get outta town!" Stephanie cried out. "I don't believe it."

"She's crazy, Bombshell," Tank said softly. "I think she's capable of anything."

"Yeah, Steph," Bobby chimed in. "She's definitely mental."

"Well…my _spidey senses_ tell me that she didn't do it," Stephanie insisted. "She wouldn't do anything that would send her straight to hell. She thinks I'm a sinner but keeps trying to save my twins."

"I gotta agree," Lester added. "I just found out a few things about her past. I can't get into right now, but I think someone set her up."

The ER doctor returned. "The helicopter will be here in 30 minutes for the transport. The unit coordinator is getting copies of all the records and copies of the scans. I just wanted to give you a heads up."

Ranger nodded. "Thanks."

"I agree with Lester," Stephanie blurted out. "We have to help her."

Ranger rubbed his temples and sighed. "Okay. Santos…bail her out and find out what evidence they've got. But if they have proof that she hit you, Babe, I want her to rot in jail…or hell…or whatever place she will suffer the most."

Lester gave Stephanie a peck on her forehead. "I'll call you when I find out what's going on."

Lester hurried towards the waiting room. "Santos! Send Ram and Woody back."

Lester gave him a mock salute and took off.

"I promised Ram he could see you before you left," Ranger explained. "He's pretty shaken up about what happened. I know you said you didn't want to see anyone, but he needs to see that you are okay."

Morelli's phone had been ringing off the hook. The guys down the station heard about Annemarie's accusations. Then the news of Xylia's arrest made the rounds. It felt off. Xylia was a religious nut, but was she that vengeful? The final call took him by surprise. Stephanie.

"I can't tell you how good it is to hear your voice," he told her.

"I can't talk long. I'm being transferred to St. Peter's in a few minutes. Bobby said you came down to see me. I just wanted to let you know that I'm going to be fine," she explained.

"I'm getting out in a couple of days. I'll see if I can get someone to drive me to New Brunswick to come and see ya," he promised.

"Did you hear they arrested Xylia?"

"Yeah."

"I don't think she did it, Joe. She's crazy but not mean."

"A photographer had pictures, Cupcake. That's how they found out who did it."

"Did they have a picture of her? Or just her car?"

Before he could answer, she said the flight crew arrived. He told her goodbye and disconnected. He felt disappointed that he didn't get to see her but at least he got a chance to speak to her. With the news that Stephanie would be fine and Xylia's arrest, his thoughts turned back to Annemarie. His instincts told him that he needed a lawyer. Annemarie probably had just as many friends on the force and in the justice system as he did. He didn't want to leave anything to chance.

Ranger followed the crew to the heli-pad on the roof. As much as he wanted to go with her, there wasn't room for him. Tank had an SUV downstairs waiting at the curb.

"I'll be there as soon as I can," he told her.

"I know. I'll be fine. Selma will take care of us," she assured him. "I love you."

"Love you, too."

He gave her one last kiss before they loaded her in the helicopter. Ranger backed towards the elevator doors as he watched it lift off and carry her away. He felt like some giant hand reached down deep inside and pulled out his soul. The déjà vu of his nightmares from the crash haunted him. He had to shake those feelings off. Stephanie would arrive safe, and Selma would take great care of her.

The helicopter that carried his Wonder Woman became a speck against the blue sky.

"Babe."

Okay…this is the end of the story. As promised, I will give you an epilogue to wrap up some things. The rest will be resolved in the next story, Not Without You.


	38. Chapter 38

**Epilogue**

With Stephanie's safe arrival at St. Peter's and the news that Raoul's plane landed, Ranger finally relaxed on the drive to New Brunswick. Ella packed a bag for both of them. He could be sure there were several goodies for Stephanie hidden in the bottom of the bag. Tank and Bobby remained silent because they knew Ranger didn't do small talk when he had other things on his mind. He had heard the expression _when it rains, it pours_ many times in his life. With Stephanie, that rain always came as a category five hurricane.

Ranger still had one more call to make. He hadn't informed his parents about what happened yet. Apparently, it didn't make the news there, or he would have gotten a call. He wanted to check with Stephanie before he promised them that they could see her. He knew all too well that trying to stop his mother from coming would be as excruciating as trying to take a doughnut from a hungry Stephanie.

Selma had been leaning on the counter at the nurse's station waiting for Stephanie's arrival. Her warm smile furnished Stephanie some comfort. Selma gave her hand a quick squeeze as the flight crew rolled her past the nurse's station and into her assigned room. The team transferred her gently to the bed as the lead flight nurse gave her report.

The tingling in her legs had intensified, but she could now wiggle her toes. The Demerol given to her at St. Francis began to wear off. She felt like she just couldn't get into a comfortable position. Because of the pain in her back and the tenderness of her lower right side, it limited her options.

"I'm so sorry, Steph," Selma told her. "How are you doing with pain? Do you need anything?"

"I'm not one for pain meds, but yeah…I could use something to get comfortable," she admitted.

Selma wrote an order and handed it to the nurse. She chatted with Stephanie as she skimmed through the medical records sent and copies of all the scans.

"The abruption is mild," she explained after looking at the ultrasound stills. "We'll do another ultrasound tomorrow to confirm that it's clotting off. I'm sure Dr. Fisher already told you that you're on strict bed rest for the next few days. We'll leave in the catheter to make is easier on you, but I'll want to take that out as soon as possible. I don't want you getting a urinary tract infection on top of everything else. The trauma team will also be in to look at you in a little while."

"Thanks for taking such good care of us." Stephanie gave her a warm smile.

"And congratulations on your daughter."

"I was just relieved to hear that both babies were okay," Stephanie sighed. "But I'd be lying if I didn't say that I was kind of excited to find out that we're getting our Ricky and Rosie."

"Is Carlos on his way?"

"Yeah. He walked me to the helicopter then was coming straight here. Raoul should be here soon. But I don't know if he's coming here or going to Trenton," Stephanie told her.

Selma smirked. "Oh, I'm sure Raoul will come straight here. Did he call my parents yet?"

Stephanie shrugged.

"You know they're going to want to see you. Celia, too."

Ranger's family. They were always there for her. Right from the beginning. She couldn't say the same about hers. She never really bonded with her…_mother_. Finding out her father wasn't really her father bothered her the most. She loved her father. She trusted her father. And he lied to her all these years.

"Steph? What's wrong? Are you having more pain?"

She wiped the tears away with the back of her hand. "No…I'm okay. It's just that I found out I'm…adopted."

Selma frowned. "Your parents waited this long to tell you?"

Again, she shook her head. "I don't want to get into details, but I found out from this _bitch_ that I _hate_. I'm sorry, Selma. I don't mean to be rude, but I just need time to process all this. It's so overwhelming."

Selma hugged her. "Of course you do. I understand. You know that I'm here for you. Not just as your doctor, but as your sister. We're family now, Stephanie. It's not always about blood."

Stephanie nodded. "I know that. Your family always made me feel welcome. Like I was a part of your family from the first day we met. I just kinda feel betrayed by mine."

"When you're ready to talk, let me know."

Lester's ass fell asleep as sat on the hardest wooden bench known to mankind. He waited for the paperwork to process so he could post Xylia's bond. Even though he has his suspicions, deep down in his soul he knew Xylia could never physically hurt anyone. Yeah, she might drown someone with that holy water shit but not intentionally. Stephanie felt the same way as he did, and she was no fan of Xylia's. Carl rounded the corner to speak to Robin at the desk.

"Hey Carl?"

He turned with eyebrows raised. "Yeah?"

"Did they have a picture of Xylia driving the car? Or just the tag?"

"Just the tag. Why?"

"I don't think she did it. She said she was at work. Is that where she was picked up?"

Again he nodded. "You think someone stole her car to run Stephanie Plum down?"

Lester pursed his lips. "Yeah…as a matter of fact, I do."

"Morelli said she's crazy," Carl added, doubt written all over his face.

"Well…yeah…but crazy for _the Lord_…not _Death Race 2000_," Lester insisted.

"Why don't you check with Quakerbridge Mall's security?" Robin suggested. "I'm sure they have cameras of the parking lots and inside the mall."

Carl chuckled. "Sounds like this turned out to be _National Crazy Bitch Day_. First Morelli's squeeze…now yours."

"_Ex_-squeeze," Lester growled. And he never got a chance to squeeze a thing! "What happened with Morelli?"

"You didn't hear?" Carl asked, shocked.

"He was down in the ER waiting to hear about Steph. He didn't look too good, so we sent him back upstairs."

"Annemarie filed a complaint against Joe today," Robin said. "She _claims_ he sexually assaulted her."

"Get outta town!" Lester gasped, borrowing Stephanie's expression.

"Yeah, it's totally fucked up," Carl agreed.

"What's going to happen?" Lester asked.

"IA's going to investigate," Robin explained. "But you know it's going to come down to his word against hers."

"None of us like her," Carl sighed. "She sure ain't gonna get a rave review from me."

"Me neither," Robin chimed in.

"Shit," Lester muttered under his breath. It was as if someone had picked up Trenton and dumped it in the trash today. As Stephanie would always say…can this day get any worse?

Ranger ordered that Tank drop him off in front of the hospital and make arrangements for rooms at the closest hotel.

"How many?" Tank asked.

Ranger thought for a moment. "Get as many as you think we'll need."

Tank smiled and nodded. Bobby hopped out and followed Ranger inside.

Bobby's eyebrows shot up his forehead as Ranger asked for Diana Prince's room. He waited until the elevator doors closed, and they were alone.

"Am I missing something here?"

"Alias. We thought it would be better if she wasn't listed as a patient here. I think she's had enough drama for this week," Ranger explained without looking in his direction.

They found Stephanie asleep and Selma reading through her chart at the bedside. Her relaxed demeanor and wide smile removed more of the lingering tension Ranger felt.

"She's doing fine, Carlos," Selma assured him. "We gave her some more Demerol, and she's sleeping."

"So what do you think?" Ranger asked as he gestured toward her chart.

"I think she's very lucky. The abruption is mild. There hasn't been any more bleeding. She was able to wiggle her toes. The trauma team came in to check her over. She was sleeping, so they took her scans to review and will be back later."

"She could wiggle her toes?" Ranger couldn't help but smile.

Selma nodded. "She and the twins will be fine, but it's not going to be an easy recovery. She's already in the high risk category because of the twins. Add an abruption to that on top of a back injury. Steph's tough, but she's really going to need a lot of emotional support in addition to physical support."

"She'll get it," Ranger insisted.

"She's got a whole building full of people just waiting to help her," Bobby added.

Selma's pager buzzed. "Gotta go, little brother. I've got another patient in labor."

She gave him a peck on the cheek. "I'll be back later."

She bumped into huge black wall carrying an explosion of pink and blue. She hugged him quickly before hurrying down the hall.

Bobby took the balloons as Tank searched the room for a place to put the pink and blue carnations. Bobby tied off the pink and blue Get Well Soon balloons on the footboard of the bed.

"Did you knock off a flower shop?" Bobby joked.

Tank smirked. "Lula's been callin' and texting me all day. My phone died. I left it charging in the SUV. Her last text said…_You betta get some mother_ _fuckin' flowers for my girl_."

Ranger chuckled. For all the times Tank called _him_ whipped, karma certainly had a way of paying it back.

"I'm sure Stephanie will appreciate it," Ranger replied.

"I got us 4 rooms," Tank informed him. "If you think we'll need more, I'll call the Hilton back."

Ranger sighed. The Hilton. As if the day wasn't shitty enough. He didn't need to add dealing with Camel Toe to the list. Tank must have sensed his annoyance.

"It's the closest hotel. I can call the Ramada, but it's on the other side of the tracks."

Ranger waved him off. "Forget it. We'll just have Lula deal with her."

Tank laughed. "Now that would be worth the price of admission."

Raoul finally arrived. Ranger felt his tension as he hugged him tight. Stephanie still slept like a log. Fortunately, laying on her side was the only comfortable position. She never snored while on her side. One less thing to worry about.

"I called Papa," Raoul told him.

Ranger blew out a deep breath. "What'd he say?"

"Don't worry. I told him that I offered to call. He understands that you needed to be with Stephanie," Raoul assured him. "How is she doing?"

"She's finally getting some rest," Ranger explained. "They've been giving her Demerol for the pain. But the babies are okay, and she's able to wiggle her toes now. The doctors think she's going to be fine."

Now Raoul sighed. "Thank God," he muttered under his breath.

Raoul pulled out his phone to call Marissa while Ranger's phone rang. Lester.

"Carl told me they only have pictures of the vehicle. Robin suggested that we check the security videos at the mall," Lester told him.

Ranger pinched the bridge of his nose. "You really think someone set her up?"

"Yeah…I do. And that's not all," Lester added. "Morelli's chick filed sexual harassment charges against him. They're like doing this whole investigation and everything."

Ranger furrowed his brow. Once again, Stephanie's spidey senses were right. Now he'd have to find out what had happened with her other case in Newark.

"Did you talk to Morelli?"

"No, just Carl and Robin down at the station," Lester told him.

"This isn't the first time she filed sexual harassment charges. Stephanie got one of her weird feelings about her and ran a search. I'll have Raoul ask around and see what he can find out."

"Spidey senses," Lester muttered under his breath then asked, "How's Steph doing?"

Ranger knew he would want to come to see her. He needed some of his men here anyway. If Xylia didn't run her down, the person that did was still on the loose.

"Better. She can wiggle her toes now. They gave her more pain meds, and she's sleeping," Ranger said.

"What do you want me to do?"

"I still want guards on Morelli. Bobby's already here. I'll need you, Ram, and Woody here. Tank booked some rooms for us. Call Bobby before you come. He came straight here and didn't have time to pack a bag," Ranger instructed then disconnected.

Over the course of the following few days, the feeling in Stephanie's legs continued to return. The abruption clotted off and continued to shrink in size. Her recovery was far from easy. The awakening nerves felt like electrical shocks, and the muscles would cramp. The strict bed rest order would remain in place for a couple more days. She couldn't wait until they allowed her to sit up in the recliner.

Stephanie always had someone with her at all times. She insisted that Ranger go back to the hotel in the morning to get some sleep. It took a lot of arguing, but Raoul tipped the scales in Stephanie's favor. Ranger relented and did as she asked. In turn, she allowed Ranger's parents to come visit. Truth be told, she really enjoyed…and needed…the fuss they made over her.

Ranger warned everyone that the topic of the adoption was off limits. Stephanie knew she had to face her parents eventually. While a part of her yearned for the truth, the denial part currently had the lead.

Ranger quietly tried to put off meeting with an important client. They wanted to expand their Rangeman services. When Stephanie overheard the conversation, she insisted he go back to Trenton.

"Carlos…we're fine here," she told him. "That's a _major_ client. You _have_ to go."

"You're more important to me than any client, Babe," Ranger sighed.

"Yeah…well diapers and stuff are expensive. And we'll have to get double the amount! Now go and kiss that client's ass and bring home the bacon."

Stephanie paused, biting her lower lip. "And can you stop at Gertrude Hawks on the way back and get me some more chocolate covered pretzels?"

Raoul howled as Ranger hung his head.

"Be honest, Babe…you don't give a rat's ass about the client…do you? You really want the candy, right?"

Stephanie put on the best indigent look she could muster. When that didn't work, she just rolled her eyes.

"They're _not_ candy," she insisted. "They're chocolate covered pretzels…_big_ difference. Since you ruined your taste buds with all that healthy garbage, there is no way you can really appreciate _good_ food."

Raoul shook his head. "Boy was Mama wrong."

Stephanie and Ranger frowned. "Wrong about what?" they answered in unison.

"She always told you that someday you would meet your match," he joked. "Stephanie's not your _match_…she's the _boss_."

Ranger smirked, but Stephanie frowned again.

"I'm not _bossy_," she whined. "Why do you think I'm bossy? I got _hit _by a car and am _stuck_ in bed. We're having a craving for chocolate covered pretzels, and _now_ I'm acting bossy?"

Ranger and Raoul exchanged nervous glances. Everything had taken a toll on Stephanie. The steroids didn't help matters either. Her mood swings had gotten worse. Crying came next when she felt guilty for being crabby.

"Babe," Ranger said as he kissed her forehead, "he was joking."

The tears began to fall.

"I'll go back to Trenton to meet with the client," Ranger told her soothingly. "Then I promise to pick up the pretzel crap on my way back."

She sniffled. "Y-you will?"

"Cross my heart."

"I'm sorry," she cried.

"Sssshhhh," Ranger whispered. "Just get some rest, and I'll be back by dinner time."

"M'kay," she agreed.

Ranger kissed the top of her head before he straightened up. He glanced around the room that now resembled a florist's display case. Flowers, balloons, and two giant Snoopys filled every counter top, shelf space and corner. They would need an extra SUV just to cart her stuff home.

"We'll be fine, Carlos," Raoul told him as he reached for his wallet.

He removed two twenties and handed them to Ranger. "Get an extra box of those pretzels. They were good."

Stephanie's face brightened. "See? _Normal_ people like that stuff."

Ranger waved off the money as he shook his head. "I got it. See you later."

Stephanie gingerly rolled into a different position.

"I'm so glad you came up, Raoul," she told him.

"You know Marissa and I will always be there for you."

"Not for me…for Carlos. He needed you," she explained.

Raoul nodded as he took the chair next to the bed. "He hates to ask for help. When I told him I was on my way, he barely resisted. Truth is…he usually doesn't need emotional support. When something happens to you, it hits him hard."

"I hate that I cause him so much trouble all the time," she sighed.

Raoul chuckled. "It's not that, Steph. We're just so glad to have the old Carlos back."

Stephanie gave him a sad smile. "You are all so lucky to have such a close family. You don't know how thrilled I am to become a part of it. Especially after finding out that I was adopted."

Raoul squeezed her hand. "Carlos told me. You need to talk to your parents when you are ready. And believe me…no family is perfect. Our family is better now, but we've had our share of problems."

"Huh?"

"You know that Carlos was sent to live with Grandma Rosa. It turned out to be the best thing for him, but he didn't take it well. He never said it, but I know he felt like Mama and Papa…and the rest of us…abandoned him. He cried and begged Papa to stay. He promised he would be good…" Raoul trailed off and swallowed hard.

"But we'd heard that before. Mama almost gave in. That was the last time we saw the _real_ Carlos. He became very withdrawn. Grandma Rosa did straighten him out. They became very close. Her death was hard on him. He became regimented with his diet and exercise…probably because that was the one thing he could control. He tried college but when Tank joined the Army, Carlos followed."

"He told me that he wanted to make something of himself after Grandma Rosa died. That he wanted to take better care of himself," she said.

"That too," Raoul agreed. "Grandma Rosa was an amazing cook. She had high blood pressure and diabetes. I'm sure wanting to honor her memory was a big part of it. But he lost another important person in his life. We didn't see much of him while he was in the service. Didn't see much of Julie. I think he slowly reached out to us after he got out. Offering me a job when I told him I was moving to Miami. Opening another branch in Trenton. Close enough to re-establish ties with Mama and Papa, but far enough in case it didn't work out."

"But it _did_ work out," Stephanie insisted.

Raoul smiled. Manoso men had such great smiles.

"Yeah…after he met you. You taught him to trust again. Trust is very important to Carlos," he added softly.

Stephanie recalled the last time she was at this very hospital. She told him that she didn't know if she could trust him again. Remembering the dejected look on his face broke her heart. But the full weight of what Raoul shared with her hit her like a ton of bricks. Ranger felt betrayed by his family, too. The more she learned about him the more she realized how much they did have in common. If Ranger could move past his family issues, she knew that she could as well.

"Thank you, Raoul," she told him. "I guess I never think about Carlos having real issues."

Raoul nodded. "He hides his feeling pretty well, but those of us that know him and love him can see through his façade."

"I guess it's time for me to deal with my parents," she groaned. "I haven't spoken to them since the morning of my accident. I just couldn't deal with it then."

"You need to, Steph. Not just for your parents…but for you," Raoul suggested.

"Stephanie?"

Raoul and Stephanie looked to the door way to see Helen Plum, flanked by the panicked Ram and Woody. She held a tin of cookies in one hand and a bouquet of pink and blue carnations in the other. Raoul squeezed her hand.

"Do you want me to stay?" he whispered.

Stephanie squeezed his hand back and shook her head. "No, I'll be fine."

Her eyes met her mother's. "Come in."

Woody and Ram stepped back and let her enter. Helen shuffled nervously towards the bed.

"H-how are you feeling?"

Stephanie chewed on her lower lip. "Much better. Uh…you remember Carlos' brother, Raoul, right?"

Raoul extended his hand, and Helen automatically took it. Never let it be said that Helen Plum would forget her manners.

"I made you some cookies…all your favorites," Helen told her sheepishly. "And I got you carnations."

Helen scanned the room for a place to put the flowers. Stephanie pointed to her nightstand.

"You can put them here," she offered.

Helen handed her the cookie tin then set the vase down. She took a minute to rearrange the flowers.

Raoul pulled out the chair next to the bed for her. "Sit here, Mrs. Plum. I'm going to the cafeteria to get some coffee. Can I get you one?"

"2 please," Stephanie answered for her. "Thanks, Raoul."

He gave her a nod before he left.

The awkward silence was deafening. Before Stephanie had a chance to break it, Helen did.

"I'm truly sorry you had to find out the way you did, Stephanie," she told her. "There were so many times that we wanted to tell you…but I just didn't know how. I know it's not an excuse. I just hope that you'll understand after I tell you what happened."

Stephanie swallowed hard. "I'm listening."

"First, I have to tell you that I never promised you to Dickie Orr's son to keep him quiet. His father was just as shady as he was. We needed him to help with the birth certificate."

"I don't understand," Stephanie interrupted. "Did you buy me or something?"

Helen shook her head. "No, we took you in after your mother died. We just felt it would be easier for people to think I had you. For the right price, Dickie, Sr. could forge any kind of legal documents and make them look real."

"After my mother died? Who was my mother?"

"Your mother was my sister Marie."

Ranger had finished with the client and had drawn up a proposal on how to expand security for his business. He really needed to get Tank more involved in this end. After Stephanie had the twins, he would have her take over marketing and customer service. Rangeman grew faster than he anticipated, and he needed to get more strong people in the top business roles. This way, he could spend more time with his family.

His cell phone rang. Frank Plum.

"Hello, Frank."

"Hi, Carlos," he replied. "I'm sorry to bother you. I was wondering if you could spare me some time to talk."

Ranger glanced at his watch. He still had plenty of time before he planned to head back to New Brunswick.

"Yeah, I've got time. I'm in Trenton at the office. I could meet you…"

"I'm in the cab not too far from there," Frank said. "I'll pick you up in a few minutes. There's something I'd like to show you."

Ranger agreed then took the stairs to the lobby. He wasn't sure if it was a good idea to talk to Frank without telling Stephanie first. Someone had to break the ice. He wouldn't betray Stephanie by giving up her feelings, but he didn't think it would hurt to hear what Frank had to say.

Frank must have been around the corner because the cab idled at the curb as Ranger emerged from the lobby. He yanked open the door and slid inside. Frank looked like hell.

"Thanks for meeting with me, Carlos," Frank sighed as he pulled away. "Since Stephanie won't talk to me, I thought maybe I could talk to you. Maybe you could give me some advice for a change."

"It was a shock to her, Frank. You know Stephanie needs time to process things like this," Ranger said.

"I know. I have to tell you that I just found out from Edna that Helen went to see Stephanie today. She didn't tell me she was going. She got up early and took the train. To be honest, I don't know if I would have stopped her," Frank admitted.

Ranger just nodded. Since he hadn't heard a thing, he figured Stephanie must have allowed her in the room. If it had been a problem, Raoul would have called. Maybe it was a good thing.

"I haven't slept a wink since the accident. We never wanted her to find out about it this way."

"There's nothing wrong with adoption, Frank. Why did you hide it from her? She feels so lost right now. Like she has no family."

Ranger tried not to come across in such an accusatory tone. He had no right to judge Frank after he gave up his parental rights to his own daughter.

"Carlos…you don't understand," Frank whispered, choked up. "I _am_ Stephanie's father."

_**The End**_….until the next story _Not Without You_

Author's Note: Thanks again for all the reviews and amazing feedback. If I missed responding to any reviews, there was a problem with the reply links. I might have missed some because I had to manually reply. And I couldn't reply to those that disabled their PM function. Thanks to all that sent their prayers to my family when we lost my nephew on June 30, 2010. I can't believe it's coming up on 1 year already. This story is dedicated to him.

I am taking a little break to catch up on some reading. I don't expect to have NWT finished and ready to post until next year. As I have said before, each story takes longer and longer to write, and I want to make sure I continue to follow my own canon. I never expected for so many people to enjoy this series when I first posted FTB almost 3 years ago. I never expect to make the wonderful friends I did either. You guys rock!


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